Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/516462
Events 48 maltatoday, Sunday, 24 May 2015 Skin Cancer and Melanoma Awareness month The month of May is dedicated to Skin Cancer and Melanoma Awareness, highlighting the risks associated with sun exposure and the link with potential skin can- cers to the fore of public opinion. To support this global health initiative, Persona Med-Aesthet- ic Centre, in collaboration with its team of leading dermatolo- gists and supported by SkinCeu- ticals Advanced Skincare, held a number of free consultations for mole assessment throughout May, thereby increasing aware- ness about the importance of prevention and early detection of melanoma. Melanoma is a type of skin can- cer that develops from melanin- producing cells, which are nor- mally located in the basal layer of the epidermis or within the der- mis, the outer layer of the skin. Aggressive forms of melanoma can spread to almost any organ in the body, making it of vital importance to detect it an early stage. By far the biggest risk for devel- oping melanoma is sun damage (UV radiation). The effects of sun damage are cumulative, meaning that they build up over time. Up to the age of around 30, cells re- cover quickly from damage and thus visible damage like sunspots, wrinkles and moles are relatively rare. Nonetheless every episode of sun exposure builds up dam- age (especially in sunny climates like Malta), which comes appar- ent and visible later in life. While it's true that our bod- ies need a daily dose of Vitamin D, absorbing enough sunlight to reach your daily requirements is no problem for people living in Malta. With the amount of sun hours and strength of the UV rays in Malta, our daily required dose is easily satisfied without the need for any extra effort. To protect against the harm- ful effect of UV radiation, it is recommended to seek shade and avoid the sunniest hours of the day, roughly between 11.00 and 16.00. When outdoors, try to protect your skin as much as possible, wearing a hat, sunglasses and clothing that covers you skin. Also, as a general rule of thumb, it is highly recommended to use a high factor broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF50+) throughout the year, especially in our sun- blessed Malta. In the summer months it is important to re- apply your sunscreen every 2-3 hours throughout the day when exposed to the sun. Together with SkinCeuticals, Persona Med-Aesthetic Centre emphasizes on the fact that for optimal protection, the use of antioxidants in combination with a broad-spectrum sunscreen will be greatly beneficial and increase one's protection level against harmful UV & IRA rays. Recent studies show that IRA (infra red radiation) is also responsible for skin's photo-damaging effects, hence modern sun protection should include filters, which pro- vide IRA protection as well. Another important element in the fight against melanoma is self-examination, for you to de- tect suspicious lesions as early as possible, and bring these to the attention of your dermatologist at a very early stage when treatment has a very high success-rate. A popular method for self-ex- amination is the ABCDE-meth- od, where the letters stand for 5 indicating factors of melanoma; A - for Asymmetry in shape, B – for irregular Borders, C – for Col- our variations, D – large (6mm+) Diameter, E – for Evolution that marks a change over time. "Dermatologists world-wide in- sist that there's nothing healthy about a sun tan, therefore through this campaign, we hope more people will become aware of the dangers of unprotected or inadequately-protected sun ex- posure," says Kate Demanuele, General Manager of Persona Med-Aesthetic Centre. "Prevention and early detection measurements of skin cancer, can save lives, therefore we hope this campaign will have its needed impact on people's lifestyle and their skin health." SkinCeuticals antioxidants and high quality, broad-spectrum sunscreens are available exclu- sively at Persona Med-Aesthetic Centre in Ta' Xbiex or can also be purchased online through the website www.persona.com.mt. Readers can contact Persona on 21340366 or: info@persona.com.mt. It's been 25 years since the Kris- tu tal-Bahhara statue was depos- ited on the seabed to ward off any would-be perils to Maltese and Gozitan sailors. The statue, which was fashioned out of concrete and fibreglass by Maltese sculptor Alfred Camilleri Cauchi in order to keep its form in cold, salty and deep water, was ini- tially created to mark the occasion of Saint Pope John Paul II's visit to Malta, who graced our shores on an official visit back in 1990. The Kristu tal-Bahhara statue was the only statue of its kind to be bless- ed during his Papacy. It currently lies some two kilo- metres off Qawra Point, but it wasn't always located there. In fact, it was initially located off St. Paul's Islands after a team of divers led by Raniero Borg put their scuba gear on and deposited it on the seabed. However, in the 10 years that fol- lowed, the underwater visibility in the area deteriorated markedly, as did the volume of divers visiting the site to view the statue. The de- cision to relocate it was taken and executed in 2000. It now lies in 35 metres of water, just a short distance away from the MV Imperial Eagle, an old ferry which was used to transport pas- sengers between Malta and Gozo from 1958 through to 1968. The scuttled ship, together with the statue, makes the site very popu- lar with divers in the present day. Kristu tal-Bahhara was recently cleaned up by the team at Briiz, a professional boat cleaning compa- ny, which caters for boat owners, both local and international, who moor their boats in one of Malta's many bays and marinas. The Archbishop of Malta, Mgr. Charles J. Scicluna, will be leading a ceremony at the site on 31 May to mark 25 years of the statue be- ing at sea. He will bless a plaque to mark the occasion. This plaque will then be fixed in place by a team of divers who have been handpicked for the task. Those who have their own boats are invited to join in the ceremony, which will also serve as an unof- ficial inauguration of the summer season. Depending on the time Archbishop Scicluna might also bless private boats in attendance. It promises to be a wonderful oc- casion. The suffering caused by asthma and the extra burden it puts on the daily lives of patients and their families leaves an indellible im- print on them. For World Asthma Day 2015, held in May, GSK seeks to raise awareness about the real life im- pact of asthma on patients lives, with the theme: 'What Asthma Means to Me', since nobody de- scribes the impact of asthma bet- ter than the patients themselves. In a patient interview carried out recently in the UK, asthma suffer- ers related their perspective of liv- ing with the disease. These stories paint a suffocating picture and, for a while, take the breath away of non-sufferers as they try to imag- ine what it means to be asthmatic. "Asthma makes me aware of eve- ry breath I take", said one patient, while another narrated, "I go to sleep and then I wake up a couple of hours later feeling tight-chested and wheezy." An estimated 235 million people in the world currently suffer from asthma. "One day I was jogging and had an asthma attack. I was so scared and really believed I was going to die," recalled an asthmatic. It is understood that more than 50% of patients have limited or poor control of their asthma, de- spite being treated for their con- dition.4 For some, the severity of asthma limits them in performing even core functions of a day. "I have been unable to work or care for my infant, because my asthma symptoms are so severe3," said a patient, while another main- tained that: "I have to schedule everything around my lungs1." As asthma affects people in dif- ferent ways depending on the se- verity of their condition, GSK has striven to keep in mind the indi- vidual needs of patients through medicines, research and services for the last 40 years. GSK contributed to the develop- ment of the Asthma Control Test (www.asthmacontroltest.com), a simple test to help people assess their level of asthma control. Mal- tese patients are encouraged to take this online test which takes less than 60 seconds. Revisiting the relocated Kristu Tal-Bahhara statue World Asthma Day: GSK shines light on asthma patients' perspectives The statue of Kristu tal-Bahhara (Seamen's Christ), lying in 35 metres of water off Qawra Point, has been cleaned up