Sun smart students march against cancer

Parents, staff and students at Adam Road Primary School took an important step in the battle against skin cancer when they participated in a mini March for Melanoma on Tuesday.

More than 400 students took part in the march, which was restricted to two laps around school grounds because of wet weather.

With most paying the optional $5 participation fee, the event raised more than $2000 for Melanoma WA.

In a sure sign that the school’s extensive Sun Smart education program is paying dividends, students slopped on the sunscreen and slapped on their hats despite the cool and cloudy conditions.

“Western Australia is second only to Queensland in terms of skin cancer prevalence in Australia, and as a country we have one of the highest prevalence’s in the world,” Adam Road Primary principal Larry Gleeson said.

“Because of that it’s incredibly important to make sure that we’re providing our children with the information they need to protect themselves from the disease.”

The March for Melanoma, which will become an annual event at the school, is the latest in a long line of initiatives Adam Road Primary has introduced to become a Cancer Council WA recognised SunSmart School.

“As part of an overall approach to healthy living the school has always been conscious of sun protection,” Mr Gleeson said.

“We’ve recently obtained SunSmart status after just ticking off the last few requirements and it is something both staff and students are very proud of.”

Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for 15-39 year-olds and in WA, one in 14 men and one in 24 women will be affected by the disease at some point in their lives.