TAL completes 3rd year of national skin checks

Australian life insurance company TAL has successfully completed its third year of TAL SpotChecker, its national skin check initiative, which provides free skin checks across Australia.

TAL SpotChecker visited five states over this past summer, the company said, providing 296 skin checks from specialist skin cancer doctors at Bondi Beach, 256 at Surfer’s Paradise, 301 at Cottesloe Beach, 276 at West Beach in Adelaide and 262 at St Kilda Beach.

“Building on the success of the previous two years, TAL SpotChecker aims to get more people talking about and committing to regular skin checks to bridge the gap on both awareness and action and help save more lives,” it noted.

TAL general manager of health services Dr Sally Phillips said that the SpotChecker was launched to help tackle an issue that is facing the entire nation, with skin cancer being one of Australia’s most common cancers.

“We know that early detection can literally save a life, which is why we’re continuing to raise awareness around the importance of skin safety,” she said.

“We’re pleased to have provided a total of 3,402 free skin checks since launching TAL SpotChecker. This year, we were also able to reach and empower thousands more to check their skin through our partnership with Firstcheck, an app that enables people to get a skin check through their smartphone.”

TAL’s research at the beginning of summer revealed that 29 per cent of Australians have never had a skin check at all, while nearly half (46.8 per cent) of those who attended TAL SpotChecker this summer admitted that it was their first time being professionally checked.

“By using new technologies like Firstcheck, we’re able to scale initiatives such as TAL SpotChecker, to encourage and empower more Australians to embrace preventative health,” Dr Phillips continued.

“With one in five of people checked at TAL SpotChecker this summer referred on for further testing, the need to educate people around skin safety is more apparent than ever. Through the TAL SpotChecker movement, we’re encouraging Australians to make a regular habit of self-checking their skin every few months in addition to having an annual professional skin check.”