Hawke's Bay Today reporter Gianina Schwanecke gets checked out by Gill Rolfe, of the Melanoma New Zealand mobile spot check van, at Princess Alexandra rest home, Napier. Photo / Warren Buckland
Hawke's Bay Today reporter Gianina Schwanecke gets checked out by Gill Rolfe, of the Melanoma New Zealand mobile spot check van, at Princess Alexandra rest home, Napier. Photo / Warren Buckland
A van offering free skin cancer checks is in Hawke's Bay until Thursday. Hawke's Bay Today reporter Gianina Schwanecke went along to ease her mind, and help raise awareness.
I've experienced my fair share of sunburn since moving to Hawke's Bay late last year.
The redness and tenderness which followedhas made me more conscious of the sun-kissed freckles on my shoulders - one large spot in particular.
So when an opportunity arose at work to have it examined through the Melanoma New Zealand mobile spot check van, I jumped at the chance.
It is the van's first visit to Hawke's Bay, where skin cancer rates are among the highest in NZ.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health show that between 2014 and 2016, Hawke's Bay had an age-standardised melanoma death rate of 5.5 per 100,000 people, even more than the national average of 4.8.
The purpose-fitted van, donated by Ryman Healthcare as part of an annual fundraiser which focuses on different charities, has been touring the country providing free spot checks and helping raise awareness about skin cancer.
The Melanoma New Zealand mobile spot check van offers free checks for remote communities around New Zealand, referring them to local health services if something is picked up. Photo / Warren Buckland
At the Princess Alexandra Retirement Village on Tuesday morning, I'm greeted by friendly nurse educator Gill Rolfe, who will check my "spots of concern" - one on my shoulder and one on the back of my calf.
She explained there are three skin cancer types in New Zealand.
Basal cell carcinoma makes up about 80 per cent, squamous cell carcinoma about 15 per cent, and melanoma about five per cent.
"Melanoma is the really bad one because that's the one which spreads more quickly," she said.
About 4000 Kiwis are diagnosed with it each year and more than 300 of these will die from it.
"We want to catch it when it's early," Rolfe said.
More than 1200 spot checks have been carried out since February and more than 200 people have been referred on for further evaluation of suspicious lesions.
There are three skin cancer types in New Zealand - basal cell carcinoma makes up about 80 per cent, squamous cell carcinoma about 15 per cent, and melanoma about five per cent. Photo / Warren Buckland
In the van, Rolfe talks me through the A to G of checking spots, looking for asymmetry, broken border, colour, if it's different from other spots, if its evolving, firm to touch, or growing.
"You have to be aware of what's on your skin to know if it's changing."
For women, it tends to be the back of the legs - I've already had one mole cut out - and for men it's the shoulders.
She recommended people carry out their own checks at least once a month and see a professional at least once a year.
As part of the check, she also asked me about my sunscreen use - admittedly, it's not as thorough as it could be - and made suggestions about how to improve or limit my exposure to harmful UV rays.
The entire process lasted about 10 minutes.
For women, it tends to be the back of the legs which are checked and for men, it's the shoulders. Photo / Warren Buckland
I left feeling relieved that there's nothing to be worried about - for now - and more confident about what to look for and how best to protect myself.
And that's the point of the van, Melanoma New Zealand chief executive Andrea Newland said.
"We need to prevent New Zealanders suffering and dying from this terrible disease.
"The van will enable us to reach many New Zealanders, including rural and remote communities, many of whom work outdoors and so may be at higher risk of developing a melanoma."
The van will be at The Warehouse Hastings on Karamu Rd from 10am until 4pm on Wednesday.
