More than 200,000 West Aussie kids have grown up with a reduced risk of skin cancer since Cancer Council WA’s SunSmart Schools started in 1998.
Cancer Council WA’s Wheatbelt regional education officer Melissa Pickering said exposure to damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation during childhood and adolescence is a major cause of skin cancer later in life, and schools play an important role in reducing this exposure.
“It’s really important to teach our kids these good SunSmart behaviours early on, and that the school has strategies in place such as sun protective hats and uniforms and adequate shade,” Ms Pickering said.
“The good news is the message appears to be getting through and it’s saving lives - for people aged under 40, the rates of the most deadly form of skin cancer, melanoma, has dropped from 13 cases per 100,000 people in 2002, to about nine in 2016.”
“In the 20 years of the SunSmart Schools program, a large number of WA primary schools have shifted from baseball caps to broad-brimmed hats and from crewneck short-sleeved shirts to alternatives with collars and longer sleeves.”
In 1998, 34-percent of WA primary schools had sun protective hats for students.
In 2016, that number had risen to 93-percent of schools.
“Encouragingly, we find that the kids involved in the program are so used to wearing hats and sunscreen that they often remind their parents to do the same,” Ms Pickering said.
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Goomalling Pincipal Steve Miranda said they joined the program in 2000 to encourage their students to adopt lifelong healthy habits.
“It’s imperative that we educate children from an early age about sun safety,” Mr Miranda said.
“The early development of habits promoting sun safety such as wearing a hats, appropriate clothing, sunglasses and sunscreen creates a culture and awareness of looking after ourselves and reduces the chance of skin cancers.
“Our staff model sun safety and we can only hope that good practices will make a difference to their health in the future.”
Thirty-six primary schools are registered in the SunSmart Schools Program in the Wheatbelt.
Across WA, 300 primary schools are registered as official SunSmart Schools.
“High schools often leave the responsibility of sun protection up to students, but we’d love to see more high schools take steps to improve sun protection - increasing shade and having a broad brimmed hat available to students is a good start,” Ms Pickering said.
Check if your school is SunSmart at www.generationsunsmart.com.au
