Primary school teacher and melanoma survivor Luke Myers puts his passion and skills of educating others to use as he spreads vital sun safety messages.

At just 23 years old, Luke’s life was shaken up with a Stage II melanoma diagnosis; something he never expected at such an early age. What he was not aware of at the time is that melanoma is the most common cancer in young Australians aged 20-39.

After getting a buzz cut in 2019, Luke’s dad noticed a mole on his head. In 2021 he noticed small blood spots on his pillowcase which led to him having the mole checked again and his melanoma journey began.

After a 10cm diameter excursion, lymph node removal, frequent CT scans and blood tests, plus 13 months of immunotherapy as part of a clinical trial, Luke has been told that he is now cancer free.

As with many melanoma patients, Luke’s diagnosis has changed his perspective on life. He is not only more aware of sun safety but believes that having melanoma has made him more of a positive person, and he wishes to spread this positivity to his primary school students.

‘I like to think of myself as an example of how you can put a positive spin on something negative. I want to show my students that it is possible to get through tough things in life.’

‘Now that I know that melanoma is the most common cancer amongst 20–39-year-old Australians, and I understand the long-lasting effects of tanning and burning your skin from a young age, I want to do whatever I can to stop this from happening to more people.’

As a trained educator with a deep passion for raising melanoma awareness, Luke feels right at home when presenting with the Speakers’ Hub.

‘It doesn’t matter who you are, what your skin complexion is, or how old you are, melanoma can happen to anyone at any time. Your health is the most important thing to look after, which is why I feel so strongly about spreading these messages.’