Southern DHB is 'Going Spotty'

Southern DHB is 'Going Spotty'

Southern DHB is ‘Going Spotty’ this Friday (27th March) to raise awareness of Melanoma.

March is Melanoma Awareness month and the Melanoma Foundation is holding its third national ‘Go Spotty’ Mufti Day this Friday to raise awareness of this disease that is affecting over 4000 kiwis every year.

The idea is to get everyone wearing something spotty or dotty to get people thinking about melanoma and checking their skin for ‘spots’ or signs that could lead to melanoma later on in life. Everyone who decides to ‘Go Spotty” can make a gold coin donation for the pleasure of wearing spotty mufti on the day.

Vicki Devery, Physiotherapist and Manual Handling Advisor at Southland Hospital came up with the idea of holding a ‘Go Spotty’ day at the DHB.

Photo above; Vicky Devery with the prizes on offer for ‘Going Spotty’ at Southern DHB

Vicki wanted to raise awareness of melanoma because she has had a melanoma which, thanks to early detection, has been successfully removed.

“In mid- 2013 I noticed a dark freckle on my left upper arm which had been there for while. I have lots of freckles so hadn’t thought much about it. After it became tender I visited my GP who removed the freckle,” said Vicki.

A week later, the results came back as a diagnosis of stage II primary melanoma with the recommendation for a wide local excision. Vicki had the excision and now has six monthly checks.

“I have not thought about my skin as a potential health hazard so it has opened my eyes to thinking about my skin more. I worry now when I see someone who is sun burnt, or sitting out in the sun with little protection. I feel that if it can happen to me at the age of 30 then it can happen to anyone,” she said.

Vicki wanted to support and promote "spotty day" as a way of getting people to think about their skin and how they look after it, as well as people thinking about their families especially children.

“I would like people to be more proactive in checking their spots and determining what is normal for them so that they are aware of any changes and can then get these changes checked out by a GP. If in doubt, get it checked out!”

Vicki is organising a display at Southland Hospital as well as encouraging wards and departments in the hospitals across the district to take part. There are prizes of donated sunscreen for the best “Spotty” dressers, donated sunsmart swimwear for children as well as a melanoma quiz for staff with a prize of two beauty gift packs.

At Dunedin Hospital the oncology research team will be ‘Going Spotty’ and will have a display in the hospital foyer to raise awareness and also showcase important research they are carrying out into melanoma treatment.

“Melanoma is more common in New Zealand and Australia than any other country. The Oncology Research team at Southern DHB is working with partners at the University and in Industry to help develop new and more effective treatments for melanoma, and also to identify better ways of predicting if melanoma has spread. Melanoma is important for all New Zealanders, but for our team in particular, as we lost a treasured member of our research team to melanoma last year,” said Southern DHB Consultant Medical Oncologist, Dr Chris Jackson.

At Clutha Health, teams will also be ‘Going Spotty’ for the day and the café’s at Dunedin, Southland and Wakari Hospitals will be selling some ‘spotty’ themed food.

Southern DHB Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon and chair of the Melanoma Multi-Disciplinary Meeting, Mr Will McMillan said that 'Go Spotty Day is a great way to raise melanoma awareness. The annual melanoma toll in New Zealand is higher than the road toll and melanoma is the biggest cancer killer of New Zealanders aged between 25 and 45. Prevention and early detection is our best hope of improving this. If caught early melanoma has a much higher chance of cure. '

For more information go to: http://www.melanoma.org.nz/melanoma/overview/

ENDS

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