Melanoma awareness round
Local footballers, netballers and umpires will take part in a melanoma awareness round to highlight the risks associated with playing the sport in the outdoors.
Senior footballers and A grade netballers in the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition will wear yellow and blue tape in an effort to increase awareness during matches on Saturday, August 5.
Now in its second year, the melanoma awareness round is growing with more than 2000 footballers, netballers and umpires set to take part with AFL Yarra Ranges, AFL Bsrwon (Geelong) and local umpiring panel Gippsland Umpires Association joining the campaign.
Round organiser and current GUA umpire Steve Goode lost his wife Carolyn to melanoma cancer in June last year at the age of 45.
Carolyn was a keen follower of local football and netball
A conversation with her GP revealed the need to raise awareness, inspiring Steve to organise a themed round to raise awareness among the young footballers and netballers at risk.
With Steve also a member of loal umpiring panel Gippsland Umpires Association, all GUAumpires will wear blue and yellow tape in all grades, including in matches in the Ellinbank and District and Gippsland leagues.
GUA members will also be encouraged to buy a hat, with proceeds to be donated to the Carolyn Goodie Melanoma Research Foundation.
Speaking at a recent education session following GUA training, Goodie said he also hoped parents of young children would also heed the message.
“When it’s sunny outside most parents encourage their kids to go outside to play,” he said.
“That was when I would bring my kids inside to watch TV.”
Skin cancer kills moer than 2000 Australians every year with melanoma one of the most common cancers in Australians aged 19-35.