Cancer Council Tasmania promote SunSmart campaign

The joint campaign between the Cancer Council Tasmania and Catholic and state education bodies is aimed at promoting sun safety.

St Anthony's Catholic Primary School principal Jason Perry emphasised the importance for pupils to wear hats during school hours when UV ratings are often the highest.

Mr Perry said pupils this time of year are regularly outside participating in events such as athletics carnivals.

READ MORE: Toddler Charlie's battle with rare genetic condition

"We encourage all children to wear sunscreen and hats when we go on excursions and we take shade marquees to events like carnivals," he said.

"At school we have a very large undercover playground which is very effective in the summer months."

Cancer Council Tasmania's chief executive Penny Egan said increasing skin cancer awareness amongst Tasmanian children had greatly reduced potential threat.

She said more than 90 per cent of primary schools and early learning centres had participated in the SunSmart program since it started 23 years ago and that the risk of being diagnosed with melanoma by the age of 30 had more than halved.

READ MORE: More vaccine options as Moderna rollout gets underway

"By educating young people about the risks of UV exposure, guiding their behaviour through school policies and role modelling best practice sun protection, we are now seeing a decline in skin cancer diagnosis," Ms Egan said.

Cancer Council Tasmania representative Ashlee Walker encouraged parents to also implement some form of SunSmart precautions.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: