Safety messages on the risk of being in the sun has been given a financial boost ahead of peak summer season thanks to the Port of Newcastle’s community grants, giving recipients a share of $100,000.
A portion of the money ($20,000) has been given to the Hunter Melanoma Foundation, with the funds going to support the delivery of free skin check clinics and sun safety awareness in the Hunter region in NSW.
Since launching in 2020, the spot check program has provided over 2700 free skin checks, identifying more than 500 suspicious spots and 114 suspected melanomas.
With Australia having the highest incidence of melanoma in the world, and melanoma being the second most diagnosed cancer in the Hunter New England Local Health District, the money has been welcomed in helping keep people, including mine workers, safe.
“If caught early, melanoma has a 90 per cent cure rate, and providing our community with access to early detection remains central to our work,” Hunter Melanoma Foundation executive officer Claudia Tolhurst said.
“As a community-funded organisation, being able to partner with the Port of Newcastle means we can continue delivering our spot check program to the Hunter for another year.”
With the Port of Newcastle known for its “golden sand, sunshine and glistening waters”, the message of sun safety comes at a pivotal time in the year.
“Safety is in Port of Newcastle’s DNA, and the potentially life-saving work Hunter Melanoma Foundation does to promote sun safety and early diagnosis, particularly through its free skin checks, is something the Port supports wholeheartedly,” Port of Newcastle executive manager corporate affairs Lucas Coleman said.
The port is critical in the export of mined material, such as coal, handling around 150 million tonnes annually as Australia’s largest coal export port.
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