Former Kilkenny Hurler, Eddie Brennan, has voiced his support for the Marie Keating Foundation's Skin C(h)ancer campaign.
The Marie Keating ambassador was speaking as the foundation launches a campaign to raise awareness of skin melanoma mortality rates among men in Ireland - which are the highest in Europe.
The cancer foundation’s Skin C(h)ancer campaign is aimed at Irish men who work or spend a lot of time outdoors, particularly sportsmen, farmers and gardeners.
It comes off the back of what is believed to be the longest heatwave since 1976 and is a reaction to the fact that the incidence of melanoma skin cancer has more than tripled in the two decades since 1994.
A recent international skin cancer index has found the death rate from skin cancer in Ireland is higher than in Australia and puts Ireland 14th in the world for susceptibility to skin cancer. [3]
Speaking about the launch, Eddie Brennan said: "Having grown up on the family farm and working as a Garda since 1998 I would have spent so much time outside and I would never really have been aware of the dangers or thought much about the harm I was doing to my skin.
"This campaign has made me think back and realise that for years I was out in the sun whether it was farming or on the mountain bike or on the beat or even on the hurling pitch, completely exposed", he continued.
"This campaign is spot on in terms of speaking to men - it’s just about education and making sure we are aware of the risks so we can properly protect our skin but often men can be worst at doing this. Small changes like wearing sunscreen, a hat and staying in the shade where possible, will make a big difference and hopefully, this campaign will get through with its message.”
Proudly supported by Novartis as part of their wider Skintervention campaign, the Foundation is urging people to follow these simple steps in the sun:
- Wear sunscreen- with a high factor SPF (50+) and good UVA and UVB protection and apply generously and regularly, ideally every two hours
- Seek shade- especially from 11am to 3pm when UV rays are strongest
- Cover up- with long sleeved clothing and a hat
- Wear sunglasses- with lenses that have UV protection
- Never ever use sunbeds – even just once, as they cause lasting damage
- Check your skin- look for changes in moles and freckles
Also speaking at the campaign launch was malignant melanoma survivor, Liz Yeates, who said: “530 cases of melanoma are diagnosed in Irish men each year, resulting in 88 deaths annually. We’ve launched this campaign to give Irish men a wake-up call and encourage them to take their skin’s health seriously.
"We are appealing to all men including farmers, gardeners, construction workers and anyone who plays sports outdoors, asking them to not only take their health and safety seriously by wearing high vis vests, gum shields, helmets etc but also to protect their skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays by following the SunSmart code."
