Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) is proud to continue its partnership with the Boating Industry Association (BIA). This impactful collaboration encourages sun safety amongst boating enthusiasts and highlights the shared goal of both organisations to amplify public health and safety messages.

As part of the partnership, MIA will once again bring its Sun Safe Island activation to the Sydney Boat Show. On Sun Safe Island attendees will be encouraged to get on board with sun safety and learn about effective sun protection strategies, whilst also having some interactive fun – including a spin-to-win-wheel, sun-safe selfies, and the chance to win a CoolCabanas beach shade.

‘This partnership gives MIA the unique opportunity to connect with boating enthusiasts who are a high-risk group when it comes to melanoma,’ said Melanoma Institute Australia Interim CEO Tim Regan. ‘Sun Safe Island provides a fun experience with a serious message, and we hope this interaction leads to attendees giving sun safety the same importance as other life-saving measures when out on the water. Boating itself is a high-risk activity in terms of sun exposure, given the number of hours spent outdoors in the sun and the UV reflection from the water, so this is a critical demographic for us to reach.’

Approximately 5 million Australians go boating each year, and more than 85 percent of the population live within 50km of the coast. Australia has the highest melanoma rates in the world, with one Australian diagnosed with melanoma every 30 minutes, and one Australian dying from the disease every six hours.

‘We encourage all boating and water sport enthusiasts to follow the five Sun Safe Rules: seek shade, wear sun-protective clothing, a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and use SPF50+ sunscreen,’ said Tim. ‘We are thankful to the Boating Industry Association for its ongoing support in targeting this high-risk group, which ultimately helps us towards our mission of reaching zero deaths from melanoma.’

This year, Sydney Boat Show is on 14-17 August and will be held at the new location of Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park. The four-day event allows attendees to explore the best on offer for water lovers, no matter their experience level or particular passions.

‘BIA is proud to be continuing its partnership with Melanoma Institute Australia. We are passionate about the safety of all boating and water enthusiasts, and so this partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to promote a safe, responsible and pleasant boating experience for all,’ said BIA CEO Andrew Fielding. ‘We hope that by emphasising the importance of sun safety to our community, healthy behaviours such as following the five sun safe rules become standard practice when out on the water.’

Don’t miss out – purchase your tickets to the Sydney Boat Show via the button below, and don’t forget to come and visit Sun Safe Island!

Use MIA’s discount link below to receive 30% off Sydney Boat Show tickets!