With skin cancer claiming the lives of more than 1500 Australians a year, Blooms The Chemist at Windsor Riverview’s Margaret Chow said residents should come down to their skin cancer ‘SpotChecks’ being held tomorrow, Thursday, November 20.
At a cost of $10 residents can attend the pharmacy between 10am and 3pm and not only be checked for skin cancers, but receive valuable information on what to look out for, Ms Chow said.
‘‘We’re looking to screen people who wouldn’t ordinarily see a doctor,’’ she said.
‘‘The SpotCheck allows individuals to visit a pharmacy and receive a valuable, skin cancer spot check that could ultimately save their lives. We have found it quite successful in educating the community in the past.
‘‘It involves evaluating an individual’s risk of skin cancer using a unique UV camera to identify any existing damage in the lower layers of skin, and an early detection tool that allows the user to perform a head-to-toe examination to identify new moles or spots, or changes to existing moles and spots.
“Our early detection tool features a series of images that help with classifying and assessing moles and skin spot features, including asymmetry, irregular borders, any changes in colour, size, irritation and bleeding.’’
The SpotChecks will also be held at Windsor Marketplace Blooms the Chemist the following Monday, November 24 from 10am-3pm.
Cricketing legend Steve Waugh is an ambassador for the sun awareness campaign this month and said Australia has the world’s highest skin cancer rates mainly because of our outdoor lifestyle.
‘‘As a cricketer consistently exposed to the sun, I have regular skin checks and, a couple of times, have had to send skin samples away for examination,’’ he said. ‘‘Being out in the sun and playing games such as cricket puts you at higher risk of skin cancer.’’