SKIN CANCER SCREENING
 
Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world and Lions Clubs in Victoria and Southern NSW are doing something practical about reducing that level and its impact on families. 
 
The incorporated charity, the Lions V Districts Cancer Foundation, has put a Skin Check and Awareness Unit on the road, following excellent financial support from Lions Clubs and generous public and private supporters. ​
The Skin Check van was parked at Domeney Reserve, Park Orchards on Friday 2nd September and at North Ringwood Shops on Saturday 3rd of September.
 
The van provided a free skin screening service to local people and was operated by fully trained, certificated and professionally supervised volunteers.
 
Following the skin check, visitors were issued with a referral to their GP if there are any suspect spots or lesions. ​
The following were key aspects of the Project..........
  • We welcomed a very efficient group of medical people and a van operator ...coming all the way from Lara (which is almost as far as Geelong!).
  • The use of a $460,000 van, which must be the busiest Lions van in the world. 
  • Efficient transport and placement of the van at very late and very early hours by Alan, Ian A and David Underhay.
  • Contributions of marquees from the Bendigo / Community Bank at Warrandyte.
  • Efficient co-operation from food suppliers at both Park Orchards and North Ringwood. 
  • Permission to use the two sites from both the Council (for Domeney) and the management of the Nth Ringwood Shopping Centre.
  • Nearly all people who booked turned up on time ....with only a handful of exceptions out of 102 booked. This included immediate reaction to two who honestly forgot.
  • Efficient advertising through Chris Corry. So efficient that unfortunately, 10 were disappointed to hear we were "Full"..... after five had already been put "On The Bench".  
  • Volunteers .........namely Willi, Trevor, Lyndon, Bob and Peter who worked on the set-up and shut down quickly in very challenging weather on both days.  
As a measure of the success and popularity of the Project, Ian Sutton lost count of the number of people who asked "When is the next one going to be held ?"  
Key Statistics:
          Total Screened                           102
          People referred                            38
          People 1st time screened           48