ROCKHAMPTON’S Kylie Becker is helping the CQ community fight off skin cancer, one suspicious spot at a time.
Chemmart Pharmacy this week launched a new skin cancer screening service, Spotcheck, which uses a skin cancer scanner that photographs the patient’s skin and then sends the photograph and description of the area to a specialist.
According to the Cancer Council Queensland, one in 19 Central Queenslanders are diagnosed with melanoma in their lifetime.
Kylie, pharmacist and owner of CQ Day and Night Chemmart Pharmacy, said the service had only launched on Tuesday but had already generated interest.
“The spotcheck is aimed at people who put off getting their skin checked or who have no time to go to the doctor," she said.
“Skin specialists are seeing far too many advanced skin cancers or melanomas that could have been picked up earlier and this is a quick, easy and affordable option.
“It’s an initial on-the-spot screening and diagnosis where a magnified photo is taken of the skin, freckle or mole and sent to a skin specialist then the results are emailed to the patient within 48 hours."
Cancer Council Queensland spokeswoman Katie Clift said it was extremely important for Central Queenslanders to get to know their own skin.
“Cancer Council research shows having one whole body skin check by a doctor within the past three years can reduce the risk of being diagnosed with thick melanoma by 14%," she said.
The service is available at all Chemmart Pharmacies nationwide at a cost of $35.
SPOT STATS:
The incidence of skin cancer in Australia is one of the highest in the world.
Two in three Australians are diagnosed with skin cancer by the time they are 70.
Queensland has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world with 3000 melanoma and 133,000 non-melanoma skin cancers diagnosed across the state yearly.
Sun protective behaviours are required when the UV Index level is three or above. In Queensland, the UV Index level is three or above all year.