Bay of Plenty District Health Board
healthyliving News
Spot it early
Melanoma awareness week (19 -26 October) was marked at
Whakatāne Hospital with a spotted display of information.
• More than 4000 people are diagnosed with either melanoma in situ or invasive melanoma
every year in New Zealand – that’s around 13 every day.
• New Zealand’s melanoma incidence rate is the world's highest.
• More than 300 Kiwis die of melanoma every year.
• Around 70% of melanoma cases occur in people aged 50 years and older.
For more information: www.melanoma.org.nz/
Melanomas can often be detected using the ABCDE system, although not all melanoma lesions
show these characteristics.
Asymmetry Border
Two halves of the
mole are different
from one another. The edges of the
mole are poorly
defined. It is ragged,
notched, blurred or
an irregular shape.
Evolving
Colour Different
The colour is
uneven with shades
of black, brown and
tan. Melanomas may
also be white, grey,
red, pink or blue. From other lesions
(ugly duckling) there is
a change, particularly
an increase, in size.
Melanomas are usually
bigger than the end of a
pencil (6mm).
Any change in
growth? New or
elevated?
Massage for Health
Come and see us when:
- you are tight from long hours at work
- aches and pains are causing you to
lose focus at work or home
- you need to relax and restore.
We offer regular massage as part of a healthy lifestyle and
emergency massage when you just really need it!
Tauranga:
Tauranga Hospital West Wing Outpatients Department.
Appointments available Tuesdays and Fridays 1pm-5pm.
Melanoma surviviors, Whakatāne Hospital Support Services Coordinator
Nikki Frost and Service Improvement Programme Manager Fiona Burns.
Click here to make an appointment.
Or Phone Rene Whipp 022 473 6239 and leave a
message.
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