Jane Trask: Skin cancer a dangerous reminder to be sun-safe

It is important to have shade and sunscreen on balmy Bay of Plenty days. Photo / File

COMMENT
Last Wednesday, I shivered at my son's touch game. This week, I'm sweating.

It seems summer has started with a bang, if the past few days of hot weather are anything to go by.

There has been no slow incline towards these recent hot temperatures. One day it was freezing, the next soaring into the mid to high 20s.

Locals in their droves hit the lakes and beaches over the weekend, armed with their white bodies and outdoor activities all ready to go.

Summer and the Kiwi psyche go hand in hand after all.

My social media has been inundated with pictures of sun, surf, sand and sunbathing.

Children are already playing in cold water that adults are still finding a little fresh and parents everywhere are trying their hardest to keep their children covered.

I spent my childhood always in the sun and water.

My whānau loves the beach and we spent numerous days playing in the summer sun.

My father grew up surfing Australia's eastern beaches and I inherited his love of the sun, sea and surf.

As I reached my teens I also reached for the baby oil to enhance and speed up my tanning process. It was the norm.

I remember driving to the beach alone in my university holidays in between working over summer with only one goal: To lie on the beach and tan all day long.

I relished the sun and all the good feelings that came from being exposed to it. Everyone likes a bit of vitamin D, right? I couldn't count the amount of times I accidentally got sunburnt.

Fast forward 20 years and I am now a mum.

My family and children are summer water babies and I find my biggest stress over the summer months is keeping them protected and covered in the hot summer sunshine.

Every morning I wrangle and argue with my boys to put sunscreen on them, repeatedly telling them it's a non-negotiable in our household.

School hats are compulsory in the playground in most primary schools, which is a great start.

Shade cloths adorn play areas but like other children, my boys prefer the hot open space of the school fields at playtimes.

Swimming and water fun at the lake and beaches require them to wear either a wetsuit or rash vest and board shorts combination.

By the end of summer I have children that look like topdeck chocolate.

They end up with white bodies and faces and little brown arms and legs.

There is of course the dilemma of applying sunscreen within the right timeframe of the children entering the water.

If you get the application/time balance wrong, it simply washes off. And don't get me started about how many times I have to reapply it during a full day of swimming.

We have hats for in the sun and hats for in the water.

Even while learning to surf my boys have to wear their water hats to help protect their little faces and ears. (I'm not saying they are that great at keeping them on though!)

We know better these days than to get sunburnt. But it still happens.

And then the feelings of guilt are increased especially when it's our own children who we are trying to protect.

In the past year, my father, mother, two close friends and an uncle have been treated for skin cancer.

While of varying degrees of seriousness, it becomes all too common as we age, to hear stories of our whānau and peers experiencing skin cancer and treatment.

Could it have been avoided? Or are some genetics more predisposed to skin cancer?

Of my experience with the above, four were from overexposure and under protection from the sun and one was simply unlucky.

Lack of sunscreen, awareness, education and carefree youthful attitudes probably contributed to most of their skin cancer problems.

One of my close friends, Jenny Chapman, who most recently had treatment, is only 39 and has had three minor operations to remove three skin cancers on her nose and forehead.

Jenny Chapman, 39, hopes her skin cancer battle encourages others to get checked. photo/supplied.

They were Basal-cell carcinomas, meaning she needed to get them removed.

More than 100 stitches and some pretty hardcore pain relief had her feeling worse for wear for a while.

She admits to being nonchalant about the summer sun in her youth with loads of exposure and wishes she could go back in time and be more prepared against future damage.

Not all skin cancers are serious when first discovered, however, it only takes a little time for some to get worse and more dangerous.

Jenny wants to share her story in the hopes that it might encourage someone reading to get their skin checked out.

My father also has two large scars that cover each of his shoulders and is a visual reminder that I can share with my sons about the importance of sunscreen and protection.

There is no way that most New Zealanders are going to avoid being in the sun.

We just have to continue to educate and be prepared.

It's a part of who we are to enjoy our much anticipated Kiwi summers of water sports, beach time and barbecue fun.

I would never tell my children that they couldn't enjoy what makes me most happy.

Be SunSmart, Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap. Protect your skin and eyes from the sun's damaging rays (UV radiation).

This mantra is more important than ever and that is the message we need to keep sharing.

Forty per cent of all New Zealanders will end up with skin cancer of some description. That is huge.

Prevention is our only way to help reduce rising skin cancer numbers in our country. If you have anything that you think needs checking out, get it done.

It doesn't have to be a typical mole to be skin cancer; it could be a change in skin appearance or spots that aren't healing on your skin.

So go out and enjoy the impending summer sun, but please, do remember, to Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap.

Sadly we know the effects sun can cause these days, so there really is no excuse not to protect our future.

Check Sunsmart NZ for more information about keeping safe in the summer sun and what to look for if you are concerned about skin cancer.

https://www.sunsmart.org.nz

Slip on a shirt
•Slip on a shirt with long sleeves. Fabrics with a tighter weave and darker colours will give you better protection from the sun.
Slip into the shade
•Slip into the shade of an umbrella or a leafy tree. Plan your outdoor activities for early or later in the day when the sun's UV levels are lower.
Slop on sunscreen
•Slop on plenty of broad-spectrum, water resistant sunscreen of at least SPF 30. Apply 20 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours and especially after being in water or sweating.
Slap on a hat
•Wear a hat with a wide brim or a cap with flaps. More people are sunburnt on the face and neck than any other part of the body.
Wrap on some sunglasses