Michelle Landry David Gillespie visit Dermatology Solutions to promote sun safety with Yeppoon mum Diane Ouston

A Yeppoon woman said a full body image saved her life after it detected a melanoma. Central Qld residents are being urged to stay safe in the sun and get their skin checked this summer and the government has made a huge investment to get the message out.

Diane Ouston got her skin checked annually, and didn’t feel any different than usual – but when she got a full body check at Dermatology Solutions, it found a small spot on her elbow that could have been deadly.

The full body check was done using the clinic’s Vectra WB360 camera which has 92 cameras that simultaneously takes pictures of 95 per cent of your body to create a 3D image.

As well as skin cancers, the machine can be used to also help with the treatment of other dermatological conditions such as psoriasis or acne.

The image detected a few spots that were recommended to be check and after a biopsy a spot near Diane’s elbow was revealed to be a melanoma.

“It was just a dot, I had been going to the doctor every year for a check but nothing had been picked up … this machine saved my life,” she said.

“When I go back for a six-monthly check it remembers every lesion and will check if it’s grown or changed shape or colour, my two sons and my husband have had the check done as well.”

Her melanoma is just one of 11 that have been detected by the machine since Dermatology Solutions opened its clinic in Rockhampton last year, and the service expects to find many more.

Dermatology Solutions managing director Dr John Evans said the machine was the 21st in the world to be installed and the first in the world to be used for teledermatology services.

“Queensland is the melanoma capital of the world … it is a federal issue because while Queensland is the melanoma capital of the world, the other states aren’t far behind,” he said.

Capricornia MP Michelle Landry visited the clinic with Regional Health Minister Dr David Gillespie and reminded residents to be UV aware and get their skin checked.

It follows a $10 million national awareness campaign that has been hitting iconic Australian beaches to remind Australians to stay safe in the sun in 2022.

The campaign is part of a $20 million Liberal and Nationals Government investment over the next two years in skin cancer awareness activities.

“It’s important that we protect ourselves against the dangers of the sun and that we all know exactly how to guard ourselves against skin cancer, with Australia having one of the highest rates of melanoma cancer in the world,” Ms Landry said.

“I encourage those across Capricornia to be UV aware, make sure they remember to slip, slop, slap, seek and slide and to remember to get your skin checked at clinics such as Dermatology Solutions.”

Dr Gillespie said skin cancer was one of the most common cancers in Australia and it could be prevented.

Capricornia MP Michelle Landry and Regional Health Minister Dr David Gillespie get a look at the Vectra machine.

It is estimated nearly 17,000 Australians will be diagnosed with the deadliest form of the disease, melanoma.

In the 80s the Australian Government, with the help of the Cancer Council, created the iconic national Slip, Slop, Slap campaign which depicts a character called Sid the Seagull singing the well-known tune about being safe in the sun.

The campaign is still played today, with the added messages of seeking shade and sliding on sunglasses.