Watching channel 3's Newshub earlier tonight, Jonathan Coleman, NZ Minister of Health, said, "I believe a funded treatment is on the way" on melanoma as the petition to fund Keytruda continues. (Please don't judge me on my choice of news channel.). This is one of the hotter ongoing issues in the health system today. For those not following the saga, Keytruda is the brand name of the immunotherapy drug that "may treat" melanoma by working with one's immune system. A very expensive drug that is approved for use in the country but not funded by PHARMAC. So you pay from your own money if you want to use the drug.
Having looked after a lot of melanoma sufferers, it got me thinking. How well-informed are we and our families about this type of cancer?
Recently, I was walking down to the local council to pay my rates. Armed with my fan and my umbrella, I walked out to the scorching heat of the sun. I noticed a little girl from a short distance looking at me intently. As I was approaching them, I overheard her say, "Mum, why has she got an umbrella?". I smiled to mum to let her know I understand as the mother gave me a very embarrassed look. I could only hear muffled reply of mum as she got the girl to get inside the car.
For a Filipina (female from the Philippines) like me, this would be rather amusing how it was so strange for this little girl to see someone using an umbrella on a sunny day. Where I come from, we use the umbrella for the slightest of sun. We use it though for a whole different reason, mostly for vanity. We don't want anything that could darken our skin especially our faces, so we cover up! But having lived here in New Zealand for a long time now, I know umbrellas are never used by kiwis on a sunny day. Now though is a good time as any to change that. Let us use umbrellas as much as we use hats to cover up. Us mothers can do so much to get the message out there by starting at home with our littlest of kids.
Melanoma is a form of skin cancer caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation in which the sun gives abundantly off. Melanoma is the 4th most common cancer diagnosed in New Zealand where around 11 people are diagnosed of this every day. That's 4000 a year for a country with barely 5 million people. An estimated 300 New Zealanders die of melanoma each year. Along with our neighbor Australia, we have the highest rates of melanoma worldwide. Pretty scary stuff ha.
You can read more about that here at http://www.melanoma.org.nz/.
That is why the use of umbrella is just but logical to cover up on a sunny day. My kids call my umbrella use "very Asian" but a very dark blocked out umbrella will do a great job to cover us up. My umbrella definitely covers a whole lot of me than my hat. Melanoma NZ urges everyone to cover up especially when UV rays are higher between 10AM and 4PM on DST. Let us help get the message out there. Use hats, sunscreens, clothing, sunglasses, a shade and of course, umbrella. Cover up.
And by the way, it's not only me who promotes the use of umbrella. Josh Emett, yes, that famous chef who is also an ambassador of Melanoma NZ, was strutting a flash UV blocking Blunt umbrella in the New Zealand Herald 6 December 2015 issue as he talked about his father who died of melanoma. There. I did have a look at the Blunt umbrella website. Their products range from $89-159 (NZD). A bit pricey but maybe they're worth it. Here is their website link if you want to check it out: https://www.bluntumbrellas.com/nz/. And maybe you can tell me if they're great :)
Go the umbrellas!
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