City to consider sun screen dispensers after hearing from melanoma survivor

Sun screen dispensers could be popping up in key public places in Prince George.

At Monday’s meeting, Councillor Ron Polillo put a motion on the floor to reach out to the Save Your Skin Foundation to investigate the pilot project.

“If we can’t do it in time for this summer, then maybe why not for next summer?” he said.

Council voted unanimously in favour of Polillo’s motion.

This followed a presentation from Mike Allan, a melanoma survivor and a volunteer with Save Your Skin.

In his presentation, Allan told his story of his melanoma, and how he went from being in hospice to being cancer-free for ten years.

“In 2007, at 48 years of age, I was diagnosed with the deadliest form of skin cancer, surgery removed the offending mole but by 2009, the melanoma showed itself again as a tumor in my groin. At that point, there was nothing else that could be done by our doctors,” Allan told City Council.

“Through Save Your Skin, I was put in touch with Canada’s top melanoma oncologist, who suggested a clinical trial. Unfortunately by 2010 the cancer had spread through my groin and into my lungs, I went through some horrendous surgeries, but in the end, I was placed in hospice for end of life. The tumor in my lungs had all but closed off my airways, so a machine kept me breathing. Then in my final days, my family received a call from the oncologist and he said to wake me up, take away all medicines, and get me over to where he was. Once there, I was given three weeks of this new type of untested medicine, I was considered first trial, first run, and two weeks after taking these pills, I took my air mask off and got out of my own bed, at three weeks, we went back to see the doctors, and they couldn’t believe that I was alive. By 2014, I had finished the trial, and have had no recurrences since.”

After telling his story, Allan spoke on what communities can do to help lower the risk of skin cancers.

“We can incorporate a sun safety through environmental design program, which means considering sun safety measures when constructing new structures, parks, and sports venues,” Allan explained.

In addition, Allan told city council gaining the sun screen dispensers is as simple as contacting Save Your Skin.