Prevention

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Find out what you can do to reduce your risk of cancer:

• Be SunSmart this summer – try our great SunSmart products!
• Stay SmokeFree
• LiveSmart, EatSmart, MoveSmart - how to reduce your risk of cancer
• Screening for cancer

Slip Slop Slap and Wrap!

Something to think about…

1. Almost fifty thousand people get diagnosed with a new skin cancer every year.
2. Almost 300 people die from melanoma each year and New Zealand has the highest melanoma death rate in the world.
3. Skin cancer costs the New Zealand health system about $33 million a year.
4. Although the skin cancer occurs most often in older people, life-threatening melanoma is most common in people aged between 20 and 39 years.

But the good news is…

1. Skin cancer is preventable if you protect your skin and avoid sunburn, especially up to the age of 20 years.
2. Regular mole checks from your GP or a free provider will ensure early detection of any skin cancer making treatment simpler and improving your chances of recovery.
3. Be SunSmart – use SPF 30+ sunscreen, stay out the sun between 11am and 4pm, wear cover-up clothing, hats and sunglasses and don’t use sunbeds.  Don’t forget that you can still get burned on cloudy days or if you’re near snow, in the water, on a short walk to the shop or in the garden - even if you don’t feel hot!

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in New Zealand but there are a number of things you can do to prevent it and because you can see the cancer on your skin it’s possible to detect the cancer in its early stages - the sooner you find the skin cancer the simpler the treatment!

Find out more about skin cancer - from how to spot skin cancer and how to use sunscreen properly to UV radiation, self-tan and sunbeds.  (You will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free from the Adobe Acrobat Home Page, in order to read the information).

If you have children or grandchildren between the ages of four and ten years find out more about our cool SunSmart Turtle – Undercover Cody.

If you're a school wanting to learn more about becoming SunSmart accredited or contact one of our health promoters to order Undercover Cody SunSmart resources.

Read the latest SunSmart news including the low-down on artificial tans.

SunSmart Products
The Cancer Society produce a great range of products for sale including sunscreens, self-tans and instant bronzers, after-sun moisturisers, lip salves, skin care range for men and women, sunglasses, children’s UV swimming clothing and hats.  See the range... 

These products, which meet New Zealand and Australian UV standards, are available from:
Cancer Society offices (sunglasses, sunscreen, tanners and bronzers)
The Warehouse (UV swimming clothing for children)
Selected Pharmacies, Farmers, Kmart, Countdown, Foodtown (Elements skin care range for men and women - Find our more!)

Contact us to find out more about our SunSmart products and where to buy them.

Find out why Cancer Society SunSmart products are chosen by more New Zealanders than any other brand!

Get more information about the UV Index (UVI) - which replaces burn time - or text UVI to 88 then your area code e.g. 8807 for your local UVI.  Alternatively you can find the UVI for your area in your local paper.

Stay Smokefree
Smoking kills more people each year than the total number of people killed by alcohol, taking drugs, murder, suicide, road crashes, air crashes, poisoning, drowning, fires, falls, lightening and electrocution put together!

Tobacco is the only consumer product that will cause death for one out of every two people that smoke it.  Every year 4,700 people die prematurely from smoking – that’s a staggering 12 deaths every day or 17% of all deaths.  Another 350 people die because of exposure to other people’s tobacco smoke.

Smoking causes lung cancer – a difficult disease to cure killing over 1,400 of the 1,500 people that get it every year.  Smoking also causes cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, pancreas and kidney, stroke, heart attack and chronic respiratory diseases.

But people keep smoking because the nicotine in cigarettes is as addictive as cocaine and heroine.

You’re going to need help to quit and lots of it!

For handy hints on quitting, 20 good reasons why you should quit and information about second-hand smoke, smoking and pregnancy, cannabis and cigar smoking. 

Or call the Quitline on 0800 778 778.

Read about the new Smokefree law changes - that came into effective on December 10, 2004

LiveSmart, EatSmart, MoveSmart!

Recent Ministry of Health figures show that not eating enough fruit and vegetables kills more people in New Zealand than alcohol, drugs and acts of violence!

You can stack the odds against cancer in your favour by maintaining a healthy weight, eating five servings of fruit and vegetables each day (canned and frozen produce is just a good for you as fresh!), cutting back on alcohol and being as active as you can.

If you are already affected by cancer - physical activity and a healthy diet can help you too.

For more information about the link between a healthy lifestyle and the risk of cancer or order cancer prevention information.

Check out the facts and some healthy tips on our new LiveSmart web site www.livesmart.org.nz. 

Visit www.5aday.co.nz or call the hotline on 0800 507 555 to learn more about the benefits of eating fresh fruit and veggies!

Visit www.pushplay.org.nz or call free on 0800 ACTIVE to kick start your exercise programme!

Screening for cancer
It is possible to screen for certain types of cancer – reducing the number of people who develop and also die from these cancers.

All women between 20 and 70 should have regular cervical screening.  If done effectively it is possible to reduce the number of women who develop cervical cancer by 70% and the number who die by 65%.

Learn more about the national cervical screening programme or by calling free 0800 729 729.

Studies have shown that if women over 45 have a mammogram (breast x-rays) every two years their chances of dying from breast cancer reduce by about a third.  It is not necessary to have a mammogram if you’re under 50 unless you have had breast cancer before or have a strong family history of breast cancer.

Call Breast Screen Aotearoa free on 0800 270 200 or find out more.
 
Find our more about screening for different types of cancer.