Page 22 - Tropic Magazine Issue 31
P. 22
TROPIC • HEALTH
Uniform yardstick Every year, more than 2,000 people Queensland school uniform suppliers
that have a standing offer agreement
in Australia die due to skin cancer,
even though it is an easy to detect and with the Department of Education are
SUN SAFETY
entirely preventable disease. Dr Simone expected to comply with the current
James Cook University research Harrison is Director of JCU’s Skin Australian and New Zealand Standard for
has delved into how best to Cancer Research Unit in Townsville, and sun-protective clothing.
she has been in skin cancer research
protect young skin from cancer. for more than thirty years. “Skin cancer
Words: Bianca de Loryn costs Australia more than any other kind
of cancer to treat, not per lesion, but
overall,” she said. “This is because Of those who develop
so many fair people are living in a skin cancer in Northern
sunny situation.
Many suffer with skin cancer for Australia, almost 40%
decades of their lives.” develop multiple
Compared to Australia’s southern
regions with their long and gloomy skin cancers
winters, children in Northern Australia
are exposed to the sun all year round.
“Here in tropical Queensland, most of us Dr Simone Harrison
Director, JCU Skin
still wear summer clothing that exposes Cancer Research Unit
a lot of our skin, even during the winter
months,” Dr Harrison said.
Several research projects involving Consequently, Queensland state school
JCU have helped the Department of shirts and dresses should fully cover the
Education and Queensland Health torso and have sleeves that cover at least
to make recommendations for better three quarters of the way down the upper
school uniforms that are both arms to the elbows, while school shorts,
sun-safe and comfortable for skirts, skorts and dresses should cover at
the kids. The more skin covered by least halfway down the thigh. School hats
high ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) need to have a substantial brim, and some
clothing, the better the protection. also have neck flaps.
22 • Tropic • Issue 31
