Australians' age-old love affair with suntanning might be looking at its sunset, thanks to a fresh initiative that's taking the fight against skin cancer online, to festivals, and beyond.
The Australian Government and Cancer Council Australia are shelling out $7.3 million for a campaign that's all about shaking up the suntanning culture among 18 to 30-year-olds. With a stunning 74% of young Aussies thinking they're unlikely to get skin cancer and almost a third believing a tan at their age won’t harm them, it's clear there’s a need for culture change.
Going beyond ‘slip, slop, slap’ the campaign involves over 50 digital influencers, including melanoma survivor and swimming champ Sam Short, to spread the word on smart sun habits. They're hitting where young people hang out: social media, Spotify, YouTube, and at music festivals, backed by fashion and lifestyle brands, to drive home the message that sun safety is cool, and suntanning? Not so much.
Sam Short was at the peak of his game, an Olympic hopeful, only to be sidelined by a skin cancer diagnosis at 18. It was a reality check that made him rethink the importance of being sun smart. For Short, it was a powerful reminder that skin cancer doesn't discriminate by age.
With skin cancer being one of Australia's most common cancers, the campaign comes at a crucial time. The disease is responsible for a staggering $1.9 billion annual health bill and a heartbreaking statistic of one Aussie losing the battle to skin cancer every six hours.
But thanks to the efforts of melanoma researchers like Professors Georgina Long and Richard Scolyer, the 2024 Australians of the Year, lives are being saved through their groundbreaking work and by using their platform to advocate for sun safety and to challenge the tanning trend.
The campaign’s message is clear: embracing your natural skin isn't just about avoiding a health risk—it's about setting a new trend, one where sun safety is part of our lifestyle.
For more on the campaign and to get involved, visit EndTheTrend.org.au.
For more on the campaign and to get involved, visit EndTheTrend.org.au.
