An average of 29 cases of melanoma are diagnosed in Wyndham each year, latest statistics from the Cancer Council reveal.
The organisation says the skin cancer has become the most common cancer in people aged 12 to 24, with more than twice as many cases recorded across Australia than any other kind of cancer.
In a bid to reduce the number of high school students diagnosed with melanoma, the Cancer Council is installing shade sails at schools, including MacKillop College.
Principal Rory Kennedy said the sails would be built on the school oval to keep sports teams and spectators shielded from the sun.
“We’re more aware than ever of the need to create a shade-friendly outdoor environment for our community,” he said.
“Whether students are watching a game, waiting to bat or just after somewhere to sit on a summer day, we are sure this new area will be an asset we can all be proud of.”
Cancer Council chief executive Ian Oliver said two in three Australians would be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime, and adolescence was traditionally a period when people put themselves at risk.
“Without access to proper shade at lunch time, when UV levels often peak, our teenagers are put at risk of developing skin cancer in the future,” he said. “However, we know that if the shade is there, they will use it.”
