“Don’t let a spot become a full stop”. This is the message that ICMIF member FMG is sharing with rural New Zealanders in a partnership with Melanoma New Zealand.
With over 50% of rural New Zealand insured with FMG and a strong presence in those communities, FMG has today announced it is partnering with Melanoma New Zealand to help prevent avoidable suffering and deaths from melanoma.
FMG’s Chief Client Officer, Andrea Brunner says FMG often talks about the most important asset on a farm as being the farmer themselves.
“The benefits of doing a regular skin check are undeniable given that if melanoma is caught early, it is almost always curable. Our farmers and growers are among the most at risk of melanoma in the world due to New Zealand’s UV radiation intensity. Supporting them to remain well so that they can continue to grow and prosper is very important us,” said Ms. Brunner.
Melanoma New Zealand CEO, Andrea Newland says heightening the awareness in New Zealand’s rural communities of how to protect your skin when outdoors, and the importance of having a regular skin checks, will save lives.
“New Zealand has the highest incidence rate of melanoma in the world. More than 4000 are diagnosed with melanoma, and around 300 people will die from it, each year in New Zealand; in fact, more people die from skin cancer than on our roads. But the good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way, given melanoma can be preventable and is almost always curable if caught early enough,” said Ms. Newland.
The team at FMG will be helping to share Melanoma New Zealand’s key prevention and early detection messages, education, and advice through its connections into rural communities. This includes at events like regional field days, A&P shows, and at the National Fieldays at Hamilton’s Mystery Creek in June.
At the FMG National Fieldays site people can see the amount of sun damage to their skin with a UV camera and collect a record card to take to Melanoma New Zealand’s site for a free spot check.
“We are delighted to have FMG come on board as our rural partner, and we are looking forward to working closely with the FMG team to make a real impact on the health and lives of so many rural New Zealanders,” said Ms. Newland.
