World Champion sailor Blair Tuke is one of many prominent New Zealanders who are calling for more discussion around the deadly disease.
“Melanoma claims the lives of more than 350 New Zealanders each year, so we need to have some honest conversations around the issue this March,” Blair says. “We’ve got to make sure we’re taking sun protection measures seriously, and taking the time to regularly check our skin, while encouraging our family and friends to do the same.
“We have to be super careful and vigilant when it comes to our skin. Check it regularly and if you notice anything different, get it seen by a doctor immediately as it could save your life.”
Throughout March, Melanoma New Zealand will hold a number of fundraising initiatives to support its goal of preventing avoidable deaths from melanoma in New Zealand through promoting awareness and early detection. These include an epic, week-long jet-ski ride from Opononi to Leigh, an exclusive garden party event with Josh Emett at Lake Karapiro, and Go Spotty Day on Thursday 24 March.
Early detection is the key to preventing deaths from melanoma. Did you know:
· More than 4,500 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed in New Zealand each year – the highest incidence rate in the world.
· Melanoma killed more New Zealanders (354) than car accidents (308) in 2012.
· The risk of getting melanoma increases with age – 70 per cent of cases occur in people over 50.
· It is the second most common cancer registration in men and women aged 25-44
· Routine self-checking is a vital step to detecting melanoma early.
· If it is detected early and it’s thinly-spread, melanoma can easily be treated with surgery. If left to spread it can be fatal.