The Marie Keating Foundation recently ran a competition with our friends at La Roche Posay, giving away a goodie bag full of sunscreen.

Congratulations to the winners; Jemma Whelan,  John Rigney, Deirdre O’Shea, Emer Wynne and Aneta Nowak-sajdyk. 

Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland. There are over 7,000 skin cancers and over 900 cases of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, diagnosed annually. The number of people diagnosed rises each year so our skin cancer campaign ‘skintervention‘ aims to increase awareness of its signs and symptoms and promote early diagnosis.

You can reduce your risk of melanoma, as well as most other forms of skin cancer, by following the ‘SunSmart’ code. Remember, it is also vital that you pay attention to any changes in tour skin. Examine your skin regularly and visit your GP without delay if you notice anything irregular.

The exact cause of melanoma is not known but there are certain things that increase your chances of getting the disease. These are called risk factors. If you have one of more risk factors for melanoma, it does not mean that you will definitely get the disease, but it does mean that you should be especially careful about monitoring your skin for any changes, you should be ‘SunSmart’ and you should go to your GP straight away if you notice any changes.

The main risk factors are:

• Lots of moles
• Getting sunburnt
• UV light
• Family history of skin cancer
• Using sunbeds
• Sun exposure now and then
• Rare birthmarks
• Where you are born

For more information on skin cancer visit www.mariekeating.ie/spotthedifference