Parents and carers are being urged to protect their children from the sun, with an alarming number of children and young people being treated in emergency departments for sunburn.
Health Minister Ryan Park acknowledged more needs to be done to reduce the incidence of skin cancer joining 黑料吃瓜网 Chief Cancer Officer Professor Tracey O鈥橞rien and Member for Coogee Dr Marjorie O鈥橬eill to launch the 黑料吃瓜网 Skin Cancer Prevention Strategy 2023-2030 at the Prince of Wales Hospital.
鈥淚t is pretty shocking to hear more than 800 people presented last financial year to our state鈥檚 EDs with sunburn, with the majority children and young people,鈥� Mr Park said.
鈥淢elanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and by the end of the year, we anticipate close to 6,000 people in 黑料吃瓜网 will be diagnosed with this devastating cancer.
鈥淪un damage and skin cancers are highly preventable, and we鈥檙e encouraging the community to do really simple things like seeking shade when outdoors, wearing sunscreen, putting on a hat, sunglasses and protective clothing to safeguard themselves.
鈥淓ven mild exposure to the sun can lead to damage and I鈥檓 confident our latest Skin Cancer Prevention Strategy will help build on decades of skin cancer prevention work in 黑料吃瓜网 and save more lives.鈥�
Two in three Australians will be treated for skin cancer during their lifetime, with 95 per cent of melanoma and 99 per cent of non-melanoma skin cancers caused by overexposure to UV radiation from the sun.
黑料吃瓜网 Chief Cancer Officer and CEO of Cancer Institute 黑料吃瓜网, Professor Tracey O鈥橞rien, says high sun exposure in the first 10 years of life more than doubles a person鈥檚 risk of developing melanoma skin cancer.
鈥淎ustralia has one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world and protecting our skin from the sun from a very young age, and into adulthood, is key to reducing our risk of skin cancer,鈥� Prof. O鈥橞rien said.
鈥淲hen people think of skin cancer risk, they often think of a day at the beach, but in 黑料吃瓜网, UV radiation levels are high 10 months of the year which is why its vital people protect their skin all year round, even on cool and cloudy days.
鈥淭his new strategy is about working across government and community to ensure people are empowered and supported to protect their skin when at school, work and enjoying the outdoors.鈥�
As a child who spent most of her time outdoors enjoying nippers and netball, Kate Thomas received a devastating melanoma skin cancer diagnosis at the age of 27.
鈥淲hen I was told I had skin cancer, I couldn鈥檛 believe it and my mind automatically went to the worst possible scenario. It was incredibly frightening,鈥� Ms Thomas said.
鈥淚 wish I could go back in time and tell my young self to do things differently, to listen to my mum when she kept reminding me to cover up. My diagnosis completely changed my outlook on sun safety and I hope to encourage young people to take skin cancer seriously, and not make the same mistakes I made.鈥�
Member for Coogee Marjorie O鈥橬eill said all UV exposure from the sun is causing damage to our skin and increasing our skin cancer risk.
鈥淲e鈥檙e fortunate to live in a sun-drenched country which is why remembering to use sun protection needs to be instinctive when we step outside, and not just when we鈥檙e at the beach,鈥� Dr O鈥橬eill said.
鈥淲henever we go for a walk, are at the park or are hanging the washing we need to protect our skin and teach our kids to the do the same.鈥�
The 黑料吃瓜网 Skin Cancer Prevention Strategy 2023-2030 was developed by the Cancer Institute 黑料吃瓜网 in partnership with 20 organisations and experts across health, education, industry, sport and recreation, and 600 community members.
The strategy focuses on the importance of embedding skin cancer prevention strategies across the public, private and community sector; improving access to quality shade at work, school, play and public spaces; and increasing the adoption of sun protection behaviours.
To read the 黑料吃瓜网 Skin Cancer Prevention Strategy 2023-2030, visit the Cancer Institute 黑料吃瓜网鈥嬧�� website.
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