Parents must make point of covering up in the sun

Sarah Christie believes it is vital her sons Baker, 2 (left), and Boston, 4, know that when they go outside to play, they must wear sunhats and sunscreen.

Skin cancer survivor Sarah Christie is determined her children will not grow up worshipping the sun the way she did.

Seven years ago, she was diagnosed with melanoma, but escaped severe illness and possible death through early detection. Now one of the country's top long-distance runners, and aiming for a place in the Commonwealth Games team, the mother of two says do-as-I-say-not-do-as-I-do advice just does not cut it.

"My skin cancer specialist told me my melanoma was almost certainly the result of being sunburned as a child," said Ms Christie.

"From the time I was a toddler, my mum says, I was always out in the sun. There wasn't the awareness then of what damage could occur."

Parents needed to act as role models to their children, which meant making a point of wearing sunscreen and hats themselves, she said.

The older generation now had the wisdom of increased awareness, and with that came a responsibility to the younger generation.

Ms Christie said her sons, Boston, 4, and Baker, 2, treated it as a matter of course to wear hats and sunscreen when playing outdoors.