Canberra Residents March to Raise Awareness for Melanoma

More than 400 Canberran’s flocked to Weston Park on Sunday the 19th of March to participate in the capital’s third instalment of the Melanoma Institute of Australia’s Melanoma March.

The event attracted twice as many participants as last year and aims to promote awareness of one of Australia’s most common diseases while raising funds for further research into treatment and prevention.

The deadly form of skin cancer takes more than 1,600 Australians per year, but 90% of melanomas can be successfully treated if detected early enough.

The Melanoma March first started in Sydney in 2012 to honour those that had lost their lives to the disease, but the Melanoma Institute of Australia picked up on the idea and developed it into one of their largest initiatives.

Canberra resident Sharon Dei Rocini had the idea to bring the event to Canberra in 2015, and each year numbers have grown.

“This is only our third year in Canberra. The first one was quite small and held near the Ainslie shops. Last year we had over 200 people attend which we were happy about,” said Dei Rocini.

Dei Rocini has been personally affected by the skin disease and used the experience to warn others of the effects.

“I have stage IV melanoma and what my family and I have been through the last three and a half years, I don’t want anyone to have to go through that, so I want to raise much more awareness about the disease here in Canberra.”

The event welcomed supporters of all ages, offering a jumping castle and a petting zoo for the kids as well as live music performed by locals Will Campbell and Harley Drake, with everyone involved donating their own time. The new location on Lake Burley Griffin also proving to be a hit.

“Weston Park is a great place to have it and the walk around the park is a great easy walk for everyone,” said Dei Rocini.

Funds raised throughout Sunday’s event are yet to be tallied, but as last year’s total reached over $20,000 with almost half the participants, this year should prove to be the most successful year yet.

Story by Mitchell Keenan