Time to screen for melanoma and improve early detection in Australia

Time to screen for melanoma and improve early detection in Australia

Started
22 January 2021
Signatures: 32,609Next goal: 35,000
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Why this petition matters

Started by Lucas Ridgway

My name is Lucas Ridgway I’m a 41 year old husband and father of two and a stage 4 melanoma survivor. I was diagnosed with melanoma in 2015 age 34 and I want to draw your attention to the fact there is currently no screening program for melanoma in this country.

Melanoma is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in young Australians aged 15-39 and will kill 1 Australian every 5 hours. Australia  along with New Zealand currently has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world and will kill over 1300 Australians each year. 

So why aren’t we giving young Australians the upper hand in combatting this disease which is arguably our national cancer?

This petition is aimed at making skin checks for young Australians leaving high school aged 17-18 mandatory and then further screening every 12 months after that to make sure melanoma has less of an impact and doesn’t continue to kill Australians.

We have some great prevention programs educating Australians on the impacts of skin cancer and melanoma in this country but we need to up the ante when it comes to detection.

We screen for bowel cancer when Australians turn 50 to lessen the impact bowel cancer has in this country so it’s time we did the same with melanoma along with bowel cancer one of the most common and deadliest cancers in Australia.

The first thing I want to see implemented and the most cost effective way of increasing detection is for the government to send a letter and information pack to teenagers aged 17 detailing the fact that they’re actually in the 15-39 year age bracket where melanoma is the most common cancer, and insisting they get a skin check.

The second thing is to trial population screening again possibly in a community to gather the relevant data and information required to determine whether it can reduce morbidity and mortality rates.

We’ve seen some massive breakthroughs in the treatments of advanced melanoma in recent years but let’s arm people with the relevant tools earlier so it doesn’t reach that point. 

Thanks for the support 

Lucas Ridgway

 

 

 

 

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Signatures: 32,609Next goal: 35,000
Support now
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