The Bunbury Skin Cancer Clinic is partnering with melanomaWA to provide the community with free skin checks on February 24.
melanomaWA chief executive Clinton Heal said skin cancer could happen to anyone from the age of 15.
“It gives people from all walks of life the chance to get their skin checked - there’s no barriers,” he said.
“From the age of 15 parents and children should consider getting their skin checked once a year and if you’ve had melanoma before you will need to have more frequent skin checks because once you’ve had it once you’re four times more likely to have another.
“You might be fine in 2017 but that doesn’t mean you’ll be fine in 2018, so it really is an annual check.
“The earlier a skin cancer is detected almost certainly better the outcome so that’s why skin checks are so important whether you’re male, females, young or old.”
Bunbury Skin Cancer Clinic patient Michael Hutch said regular skin checks were necessary.
“My father died in 2001 of melanoma and he had already had it and had it removed and lived for a long time after,” he said.
“He retired and stopped having his checks up and by the time they found it, it was too late.
“I had a melanoma removed and I have been checked twice a year ever since – if I hadn’t had mine checked it probably would have claimed my life by now – it’s just a must.”
For more information contact 9322 1908 or visit melanomawa.org.au.
