Freckle Checkle Day: doctor urges regular check of skin in lead up to August 13 event

GET your moles and freckles checked free next month and you could both save your own life and help the more than 400,000 Australians treated for skin cancers each year.

Hosted by Skin Check WA, Freckle Checkle Day takes place at three participating clinics in Leeming, Aubin Grove and Inglewood on Saturday, August 13.

All skin checks completed on the day will be bulk billed with the usual $58 gap waived.

Skin Check WA staff volunteer their time and doctors donate their bulk billing fees to MelanomaWA and the ECU Melanoma Research Group.

Last year more than 250 people were checked on the inaugural Freckle Checkle Day, resulting in close to $10,000 being raised.

Skin cancer physician Henry Law encouraged anybody due for a skin check to make their way to one of the three clinics on the day.

“The more people that come through for skin checks the more money we donate,” Dr Law said.

“We have found that there is a seasonal presentation of skin cancers, with people tending to forget about getting checked during winter and resulting in a huge rush in spring.

“The issue is that skin cancers develop all year round. If we catch them early enough there is a 99.9 per cent cure rate but if they have time to develop they are a much bigger problem.”

Dr Law said melanoma – the most dangerous form of skin cancer – was also the most common cancer for Australians aged 15-44, an age group that was otherwise generally very healthy.

“We are starting to see an improvement in the younger age group in terms of melanoma development but compared to the rest of the world Australia is still the worst by miles,” he said.

Dr Law said anybody that had experienced serious sunburn at any point in their life should have their skin checked on at least an annual basis.

Freckle Checkle Day runs from 8.30am to 3pm on Saturday, August 13. No appointment is necessary, just show up on the day.

The Leeming clinic is located at 76 Calley Drive.