THERE was a tiny, persistent bump under Catherine King's nose that would not go away.
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The Australian Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Minister now knows if she had not sought medical advice, that small bump was likely to become invasive, harmful and could have eventually spread and threatened her life.
Ms King was diagnosed with common skin cancer squamous cell carcinoma in 2021. She underwent a six-week course of immunotherapy face cream and, with such a high-profile public role, was thankful for the masks enforced under pandemic restrictions to spare her the embarrassment for what was squarely on her face.
Now, the Ballarat federal MP wants to raise awareness both for preventative skin care - covering up and regular skin checks.
The more Ms King spoke to people in her work, including a large portion of her parliamentary colleagues, the more she realised how widespread this was an issue in Australia.
"We know that in the COVID pandemic lots of people have put off lots of health checks," Ms King said."...I was hearing story after story. Like pretty much most people my age, I grew up sitting in the back of the station wagon with my legs out in the summer. Mum was always bathing me with cold tea and calamine lotion."
Ms King said she had regular skin checks but this find was definitely a harsh reminder to take care.
Out and about, Ms King is typically always wearing a hat and sunscreen. She hoped this could also be a reminder for younger generations and their parents knowing that as a parent of a teenage boy, getting him to wear sunscreen could often become "like a wrestling match".
IN OTHER NEWS
Similarly, her fellow politicians sounding their voice for greater sun protection.
Australia has the highest rate of melanoma worldwide with incidents almost nine times the global average.
Melanoma is the third most common cancer for men and women and accounts for about 26 per cent of Australian cancer deaths.
Treatment varies, depending on the stage of the disease and could involve surgery, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and targeted drug therapy.
Ms King is part of the newly launched Parliamentary Friends of Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness.
The long-term campaign has been led by Ballarat's Jo Stevens, a former communications advisor in state and federal governments, in partnership with the Melanoma Institute of Australia.
Ms Stevens is a former melanoma patient. She was diagnosed about the same time her mum was navigating a breast cancer diagnosis.
While her mum was surrounded by support structures and carers, Ms Stevens vowed to lobby the federal government for melanoma nurses who could help Australians in a similar way breast care nurses specialised their care.
Ms Stevens had her lymph nodes removed and had been one of her mum's breast care nurses who sourced her a comfort pillow most commonly used by breast cancer patients.
Social media giant Tik Tok banned the glamourising of sunbaking last year but Ms Stevens said there was still a lot of work to do. She said it was important members of parliament, like Ms King, shared their stories to keep raising skin cancer awareness nationally and in their communities.
Cancer Council Australia encourages people to slip on a long-sleeve shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat, seek shade and slide on sunglasses when out in the sun.
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