MELANOMA

As much of Australia re-opens after long winter months in a COVID-induced slumber, health professionals are warning Aussies to not delay in re-focusing their attention on sun safety and skin health.

Australia has the highest melanoma rates in the world, with some 16,000 Aussies predicted to be diagnosed with the disease this year. With sun exposure the leading cause of melanoma, summer is a critical time to ensure people protect their skin and be aware of any changes which may be an early sign of melanoma.

A recent report by Cancer Australia into the impact of COVID-19 on cancer services revealed there were some 164,000 fewer diagnostic procedures for 14 cancer types in 2020. This included melanoma.

Melanoma Institute Australia CEO Matthew Browne said the statistics were alarming, as both prevention and early detection of melanoma were vital to reduce the death toll from the disease.

‘Melanoma is more than ‘just’ skin cancer which you cut out and then get on with life,’ Mr Browne said. ‘If left undetected, melanoma can spread via the lymphatic and blood systems to organs throughout the body. Once it has spread, it is increasingly difficult to treat, with one person dying every 6 hours from the disease.’

Mr Browne said it was vital that Australians understood the importance of sun safety and early detection of melanoma, which is the message behind MIA’s cheeky summer awareness campaign ‘Game On Mole’.

It capitalises on the iconically Aussie slang phrase to start life-saving conversations about skin health with the critically important 20 to 39-year-old demographic.

‘Most people are surprised to learn that melanoma is the most common cancer impacting 20 to 39-year-old Australians,’ Mr Browne said.

‘That’s why ‘Game On Mole’ is such an important campaign, as we need to get young adults engaged with the sun safety and early detection message.

We hope that our slogan tees will start life-saving conversations about being aware of changes to your skin, particularly moles, and the need to seek medical advice if you notice anything new or changing.’

The face of this year’s ‘Game On Mole’ campaign is 25-year-old model Oceana Strachan who was diagnosed with melanoma earlier this year. ‘I’m 25 with olive skin - being told I had melanoma was a scary wake up call,’ Oceana said.

Jennifer Durante - Melanoma Institute Australia

Oct 21