Stars Join Cancer Research UK
To Help Parents And Children Be Sunsmart

PARENTS are being reminded to be extra careful with children’s delicate skin in the sunshine this summer.

Cancer Research UK has joined forces with the Government again for the second year of its SunSmart campaign to raise awareness of how to be safer in the sun and protect against skin cancer.

This year, the initiative is focusing on parents or carers of children and young people by providing advice and helpful tips. The campaign is being backed by celebrity parents, including Texas lead singer Sharleen Spiteri, Olympic rower James Cracknell and actress Gaynor Faye.

We get around 80% of our sun exposure during childhood and adolescence. Young skin burns more easily than adult skin, and sunburn in childhood is likely to increase the risk of skin cancer in later life.

Malignant melanoma is the third most common cancer in those aged 15-39 yet it is one of the most preventable by taking a few easy precautions when in the sun.

Professor Robert Souhami, Cancer Research UK’s Director of Clinical and External Affairs, says: “We are delighted to be working jointly with the Government on this crucial awareness campaign and to have the support of such high-profile stars.

“The number of cases of malignant melanoma has risen sharply over the last five years, with an increase of 24 per cent over this period.

“It is vital that we not only protect children when they are in the sun, but encourage them to adopt SunSmart behaviour for life. This should help this very worrying increase in melanoma to be turned around and reduce the numbers of people getting skin cancer in the future.

“We want SunSmart to be as successful in changing behaviour in the UK as a similar campaign has been in Australia, where people of all ages are aware of the dangers of over-exposure to the sun and use suitable protection as a matter of course.

“Being a parent is demanding, so we hope the simple SunSmart message will help both adults and children remember how to be safer in the sun.”

Actress Gaynor Faye, who has a three year-old son called Oliver says; “I had a worrying mole checked out a couple of years ago and so I am already aware of the need to be SMART in the sun.

“It is especially important for children to be SunSmart and Oliver never goes out without a hat, sun cream and suitable clothes to protect him. I urge all parents to follow Cancer Research UK’s guidelines to help them, and their families, enjoy the sun safely.”

The SunSmart campaign is based around five core messages:

Stay in the shade 11-3

the sun is most dangerous in the middle of the day
find shade under umbrellas, trees, canopies or indoors

Make sure you never burn

sunburn can double your risk of cancer

Always cover up

sunscreen is not enough wear a T-shirt, wide-brimmed
hat and wraparound sunglasses (eyes get sun damaged too)

Remember to take extra care with children

young skin is delicate,
keep babies out of the sun completely

Then use factor 15+ sunscreen

apply sunscreen generously 15 30 minutes before you go outside
(it doesn’t work immediately), and reapply often

Also report mole changes or unusual skin growths promptly to your doctor.
Posters, leaflets and postcards will be distributed schools, cinemas and doctors surgeries across the country to spread the SunSmart messages.

For more information about Cancer Research UK’s SunSmart campaign, log onto www.sunsmart.org.uk or for a free skin cancer leaflet send an SAE to: skin cancer leaflet, Cancer Research UK, PO Box 123, London, WC2A 3PX.