Prepare and protect your skin over summer

News bulletin: 16 November 2009

National Skin Cancer Action Week is on this week.

Hosted by the Cancer Council, the week aims to raise awareness on how to protect your skin when under the sun and reduce the risk of skin cancer

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world and yearly more than 1700 Australians die from a disease that is preventable.

During Skin Cancer Action week, the Cancer Council will raise public awareness on the simple steps you can take to protect your skin over summer

People can reduce the risk of skin cancer by following the five SunSmart steps recommended by the Cancer Council to:

• slip on sun protective clothing
• slop on sunscreen
• slap on a hat
• seek shade
• slide on sunshades

National Skin Cancer Action Week activities

Over the week, SunSmart activities will be held throughout Australia and the Cancer Council has made available online-resources with information and ideas on how participants can get involved.

Teachers and Early Childhood Professionals are encouraged to involve students in fun activities, ranging from design competitions and fashion parades to plays and quizzes, to promote the message of being SunSmart.

The Cancer Council will also announce the winner of the SunSmart Competition, which involved hundreds of young people Australia-wide.

The competition asked students to enter an image, text or video to convey the Cancer Council’s SunSmart messages in an original and informative way.

Entries had to include the five measures of ‘Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide’ and students were encouraged to be as creative as possible with their approach to this theme.

For more information on National Skin Cancer Action Week, the SunSmart Competition and to find out what activities are on in your area, see: Cancer Council Australia