PHA And Cancer Focus NI Issue Advice During Heatwave

Advice on how to cope during the heatwave in Northern Ireland has been issued by the Public Health Agency and Cancer Focus NI.

Dr Miriam McCarthy, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at the PHA, explained: "Being active and having fun outside is good for our health, but the sun can cause permanent damage to our skin. Just one episode of sunburn, especially in childhood, doubles the lifetime risk of malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer."

Marbeth Ferguson, Skin Cancer Prevention Coordinator at Cancer Focus NI, said: "It's important to remember the care in the sun messages both at home and abroad. Everyone is at risk of sun damage, but certain groups are particularly at risk, including those with fair hair and skin, babies and children, outdoor workers and people with a family history of skin cancer. It is therefore vitally important that all of us take the necessary steps to protect ourselves in the sun and actively reduce the risks of skin cancer."

(CD)