29/07/2026
Saturday rugby, summer athletics, all-afternoon cricket. It’s part of growing up here and one of our biggest sun-safety blind spots.
New Zealand and Australia have the highest melanoma rates in the world. Skin cancer is New Zealand’s most common cancer, and over 90% of cases are linked to UV exposure. Studies show that sunburn and high levels of UV exposure in childhood are strong determinants of melanoma risk in adulthood.
Schools play an important role in changing this. Young people spend countless hours outdoors during PE, lunchtime, training and weekend sport, making schools and sports clubs ideal places to build lifelong sun-safe habits. Simple measures such as scheduling outdoor activities outside peak UV hours where possible, providing shade, allowing sun-safe uniform options, ensuring sunscreen is readily available, and incorporating sun safety into health education can have a lasting impact. Protecting students shouldn’t be an afterthought; it should be part of the culture.
At Healthbox, we see the downstream effects of childhood and adolescent sun exposure every week through our workplace and Individual SkinChecks. Prevention is our best defence, but regular SkinChecks are equally important. Early detection means suspicious lesions can be identified and treated sooner, often before they become serious. Whether through workplace programmes or individual SkinChecks, taking a proactive approach today can make a life-changing difference.
For organisations, schools or sports clubs looking to strengthen their sun protection policies or deliver practical sun safety education, we’d love to help. Contact [email protected]
