More than 150 people gathered to walk around Lake Weeroona on Sunday morning, raising $11,700, with more still to be tallied.

Melanoma Institute Australia CEO Carole Renouf said there were anecdotal accounts of melanoma patients around the country not receiving the same quality of care.

“It depends on a variety of factors. Often, people in rural and regional areas have a much more difficult time accessing the care they need,” she said.

“Sometimes patients are not necessarily referred to the right people. Those that treat them might have varying levels of knowledge around the country.”

Ms Renouf said money raised from the Bendigo march, and 20 others around the country, would help establish a big data register tracking what happened to melanoma patients.

“The results can then be used to drive that quality of care upwards,” she said.

A similar project for stroke patients showed health professionals that a critical factor in treatment was the time that elapsed between emergency department admission and treatment with anticoagulants.

“That fact on its own, once it was shared, improved that treatment times around the country,” Ms Renouf said.

Local and melanoma survivor Graeme Holland was diagnosed in 2015.

“Letting people know that there are things that can be done, and melanoma is something you can overcome, is the message I want to share at this year’s march,” he said.

Related: Graeme Holland never suspected the line on his thumb was malanoma

“We just need a bit more help, and we need to let those with melanoma know they are not alone.”

Mr Holland organised Sunday’s Bendigo march and said it would likely return next year, with attendance figures smashing expectations.

“We had people from as far away as Echuca attending. They said it was great having something in central Victoria because now they don’t have to travel down to Melbourne to take part,” he said.

Mr Holland thanked the Bendigo Triathlon Club and Brew2You for donating food and drink to hungry marchers.