Melton residents are being urged to take advantage of a new skin cancer screening service at Chemmart pharmacies.
Chemmart in Melton will be conducting a spot-check service for residents, which allows an individual to get up to three spots of concern on their bodies checked by experts.
A recent Chemmart survey of 7000 people found 40 per cent rarely or never checked their own skin for moles or spots of concern.
Melton Chemmart Pharmacy Superstore pharmacist Tony Cox said many people didn’t make the time to get moles or skin spots checked. “We’re excited at being able to offer a screening service that will, hopefully, reduce deaths from skin cancer by improving early detection and make a difference to the lives of Australians.”
The service has helped detect 10 melanoma cases since it was launched, which Mr Cox said was a brilliant outcome for the short period the checking program had operated. “That’s 10 people who will, hopefully, be alive next year who might not have been if they hadn’t had a spot check.”
The check enables residents to get their moles or spots of concern photographed in the pharmacy before being sent away for analysis. Results are known within 48 hours.
Mr Cox encouraged people to get spot- checked at either a GP or the pharmacy for a small cost. For more information, visit www.chemmart.com.au/spotcheck.
