BROOKE’S TIMELY WARNING ON SUN DAMAGE RISKS

HOBART woman Brooke Everingham is lending her health story to the Cancer Council’s campaign urging Tasmanians to be sun smart and slip, slop, slap, seek and slide this summer.

Ms Everingham was 37 when she was diagnosed with a stage 4 melanoma in May last year.

She said a routine check found a small freckle about half the size of a match head. Doctors took a biopsy as a precaution.

“On Tuesday I had the results. By Wednesday I had met with my skin cancer specialist again and on Friday I was having surgery,” she said.

The melanoma was removed and also a large section of skin from her back and shoulder.

“It was a slow recovery because it was on the shoulder blade and even though it was such a small spot, they had to take quite a large square on my back.”

Ms Everingham said she never used to worry about sunscreen because she tanned, but is now urging others to protect their skin.

Cancer Council Tasmania chief executive Penny Egan said two in three Australians would be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70.

“We are urging people to slip, slop, slap, seek and slide, when the UV is 3 above,” Ms Egan said.

“Typically in Tasmania this is from the beginning of September through until the end of April,” she said.

Ms Egan said looking for a change in shape, size or colour of existing spots, or the development of a new spot, was also vitally important.