2024 Australians of the Year inspire West Australians to be sun smart
On Wednesday 28 August, Auspire hosted an Inspiring Australians’ Breakfast with 2024 Australians of the Year, Professors Georgina Long AO and Richard Scolyer AO.
Guests arrived at the State Reception Centre in Kings Park, to hear the Melanoma Institute Australia co-medical directors discuss their research and impact so far, and how we can all play our part to prevent skin cancer.
Before the Professors took to the stage, event partner Cancer Council WA CEO, Ashley Reid, not only shared eye-opening statistics of melanoma in WA, but also his own personal experience of discovering a cancerous mole on his calf in 2021.
Mr Reid invited Georgina and Richard to the stage, to be interviewed by event emcee, 6PR Perth’s Oliver Peterson, about the challenges around changing the Australian public’s behaviour with the sun and our culture of tanning, and how the Australian of the Year Awards has provided a platform to help get the message across.
With attendees from healthcare, childcare, education, government, science and a plethora of community groups in the room, Georgina acknowledged the educational system in being influential, and suggested that the community understands that science is not black and white, but with time, asking questions and critical thinking, it can be the solution to many of the world’s problems.
Stressing the importance of clinical trials, she spoke of how “incredibly humbling” it is “to see how people go on with the condition they have even if it’s terminal and how brave they are to participate in science.”
This led to speaking about how their melanoma research findings have been used to help one of their own – with Richard himself being diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer in 2023. With Georgina leading the plan (which she openly admits was experimental, as is much of science), Richard expressed “I’m surprised that I am even able to sit here with you all and have this talk and I am very thankful for Georgina who came up with the plan to give this (immunotherapy clinical trial) a try.”
Guests were Welcomed to Country by Auspire Board Member and First Nations’ elder, Mr Barry Winmar and The Honourable Stephen Dawson MLC, Minister for Innovation, Science and Medical Research whilst unable to attend in person, provided a terrific welcome video, paying testament to the Professors for their contribution to groundbreaking medical research.
Every guest not only enjoyed a wonderful two course breakfast, but also received a “traveler” bottle of sunscreen lotion generously provided by locally WA owned sunscreen company, We Are Feel Good Inc. and one lucky audience member won a We Are Feel Good Inc. door prize being a loaded up waterproof bag filled with a year’s supply of sun screen.
Auspire thanked all partners and sponsors involved in making the event possible including the WA State Government as the State sponsor for the Australian of the Year Awards, presenting partner Cancer Council WA, and event supporters from the Australian Medical Association (WA), We Are Feel Good Inc., the Forrest Research Foundation, and 6PR Perth.