So many entrepreneurial women supporting the cause for melanoma
It's Melanoma March, a time to raise awareness about melanoma, how to prevent, protect and detect this disease that affects so many Australians. There are so many women now supporting the cause and raising awareness for melanoma. One of the most well-known of recent years is Deborah Hutton, who has publicly shared her journey of skin cancer. As a model, media personality and entrepreneur, it was a significant shock to have facial cancer and surgery that left her with scarring. She had had recurrent skin cancers but hadn't really changed her lifestyle until her facial surgery. Now she is an advocate, spreading the word on sun safety, skin care, prevention and detection. Deborah Hutton shares her personal journey here. It has seen her launch a sun protective range of hats called Canopy Bay. No more excuses when it comes to finding a beautiful hat to wear!
Nadia Bartel is another media personality and fashion brand owner raising awareness, posing naked in a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of skin cancer. She has had 14 moles removed, one of which was a melanoma. She says “I have pigmentation on my face from the damage I caused in those early years. A lot of people don’t realise that using SPF is the number one anti-ageing product you should use.” There's a tip for everyone!
“Giving Melanoma The Cold Shoulder” is run by Naked Sundays who have a range that they call a hybrid of SPF sunscreen and skincare. Nadia's own store is called Henne, providing a range of essential women's clothing.
During #MelanomaMarch, let's refresh our knowledge on melanoma. Here are the latest facts from Melanoma Institute Australia:
- Australia has the highest melanoma incidence in the world
- One person is diagnosed every 30 minutes
- The disease claims the life of one Australian every six hours
- 95% of melanoma are caused by overexposure to UV radiation from the sun
- 50% of advanced melanoma patients don’t respond or become resistant to new immunotherapy treatments .... which means early detection is vitally important.
Let's put some of these figures into perspective:
- Melanoma is the most common cancer affecting 20-39 year old Australians
- Melanoma is the second most common cancer affecting men, after prostate cancer
- Melanoma is the third most common cancer affecting women, after breast and colorectal cancer.
Not good.
Education is the key so, now that we know the facts and the risks, what can we do about it?
Raise awareness for early detection and prevention. If we can prevent over exposure to UV radiation, we can prevent this disease impacting so many Australians. This is very easy to do. Here are our top tips:
- Stay in the shade, especially during the hottest part of the day
- Wear sun protective clothing. The fabric we use at Es Una is UPF50+ and so many clothes are. The tighter the weave of a fabric, the higher the sun protection. For example, a heavy or thick bamboo or cotton t-shirts can often be UPF50+ too. But be careful of kaftans and sarongs. If you can see through the fabric, so can the UV rays. That's why we make our rashie tops, rashie dresses and swim shorts from UPF50+ fabric. The perfect solution for women's swimwear that has a sun protective ethos.
- Be particularly careful of your head (the parting of your hair), shoulders, décolletage, forehead and shoulders. These parts of your body are literally facing 'up' and exposed to the sun. Sunburn happens more quickly and you may not see it. How often have you walked behind someone with sunburnt shoulders? A reminder to be careful in shading these areas or protecting with sunscreen.
- Wear a broad brimmed hat, for obvious reasons!
- Wear sunglasses, particularly if they meet Australian standard category 2, 3 or 4, as they provide a better protection for your eyes.
- Apply sunscreen liberally and regularly, making sure that it's broad spectrum.
Raise funds for research. One of the main activities during Melanoma March is a fundraising walk. Only 4km and family friendly, or get a group of friends together and walk and chat. You can register for walks all around Australia, click here to find your closest walk. Melanoma Institute Australia has been highly successful in improving our understanding of melanoma, leading to advancements in early detection, diagnosis and treatment. You can find out more about their research here.
You can find similar statistics on melanoma in North America on Guillame's blog here.
If you're wanting to be a perennial woman, with an enjoyment of summer and sensible yet stylish ladies rash vests or thoughtful swimdresses for women, then head to our collection to find a style of women's swimwear that suits you and your swimwear goals.