NI youngsters warned of sun exposure dangers

The risk of sun exposure in young people is the centrepiece of this year's national Sun Awareness Week which began in Northern Ireland today.

Sun Awareness Week, which is co-ordinated by the Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF), highlights the risks of sun exposure such as skin cancer, which is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in Northern Ireland.

As melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer, and tends to occur in younger people compared with other skin cancers, this year's campaign, entitled 'Sun Awareness for Children and Young People', aims to highlight this.

Sandra Gordon, Melanoma Strategy Co-ordinator, said: “Malignant melanoma rates have risen remarkably in Northern Ireland over the past 25 years from an average of 48 cases per year in the mid 70s to 180 cases per year at present and over exposure to the sun is the main cause of most skin cancers, including melanoma.

"We want children to enjoy the outdoors, but are encouraging them to slip on a T-Shirt and hat and use a high factor broadband sunscreen before going out in the sun."

This week's launch also features the 'Living Willows for Shade Project' which is a New Opportunities Fund (NOF) programme designed to support partnership working to highlight the issue of ‘Care in the Sun’ for pre school and primary school children. Living willow structures provide school children with areas of shade for play or outside class-work.

The programme seeks to stimulate and support schools in their development of Care in the Sun policies, raising awareness of sun protection issues within the school and beyond into the community.

It also raises the profile of local environmental issues lending schools the opportunity to become involved in an ecological project.

(MB)