Weston Park Cancer Charity team up with Melanoma Focus and local campaigner for sun safety awareness event

This week, Weston Park Cancer Charity teamed up with Melanoma Focus to host a melanoma skin cancer awareness day in Sheffield city centre.

The event, which took place during Melanoma Awareness month, was spearheaded by Charlotte Killeya – a local campaigner who is living with stage four (metastatic) melanoma.

Weston Park Cancer Charity brought the Big Purple Bus to the event, complete with a group of healthcare professionals.

Teams from both charities shared information about melanoma signs and symptoms and gave advice on how to stay sun safe.

Free suncream samples were provided to members of the public throughout the day, courtesy of Avène and La Roche Posay.

Campaigner Charlotte was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in 2020, and since then she has been working tirelessly to transform Sheffield into a ‘sun safe city’.

She is currently lobbying businesses, particularly those with large outdoor seating areas, to provide free sun cream for customers and staff.

Charlotte said:

“We are so lucky to live in the Outdoor City of Sheffield. But as we enjoy our beautiful city, we all need to remember to take precautions to reduce our risk of skin cancer.

“Melanoma skin cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, and the most serious form of skin cancer. But over 80% of cases are preventable.

“I’m calling on Sheffield’s leaders and businesses to play their part in keeping people sun safe by providing free, high factor suncream to customers and staff. By making this simple and effective change, businesses could literally save lives.”

Emma Clarke, CEO of Weston Park Cancer Charity, said:

“It was brilliant to team up with Charlotte and Melanoma Focus for the second instalment of our melanoma awareness day.”

“Charlotte has done so much to increase awareness of melanoma in our city, and we commend her fantastic work.”

Susanna Daniels, CEO of Melanoma Focus, said:

“We were delighted to once again work with Charlotte and Weston Park Cancer Charity to bring crucial melanoma information to Sheffield city centre.

“There are simple precautions you can take to reduce your risk of melanoma, like applying a high factor (30+) sunscreen, seeking shade, and covering up in the sun. It’s also important to be aware of a new or changing mole or lesion, and to contact your GP if you feel something isn’t right.”

Melanoma Focus is a national charity which aims to create a better future for people who have been diagnosed with melanoma. They provide support and information for patients, carers, and healthcare professionals while commissioning and funding innovative research for patient benefit as well as advocacy and awareness work.

Weston Park Cancer Charity helps people across the region to live well, with and beyond cancer. The charity has a number of services available to people who are living with skin cancer, including one-to-one emotional support, hardship grants, and complimentary therapies.

For melanoma information and support, visit the Melanoma Focus website or call their free helpline on 0808 801 0777.

If you need help with the practical, physical, or emotional impacts of cancer, you can access Weston Park Cancer Charity’s services here.