From left, Kerry Irvine, regional representative of Pancreatic Cancer Action, Mr Mark Taylor, Consultant General and Hepatobiliary surgeon, Anna Gavin, Director N.ireland Cancer Registry, Dr Martin Eatock, Consultant medical oncologist, and Ali Stunt, a survivor of Pancreatic cancer, who took part in cancer awareness forum at the Silver Birch Hotel on Wednesday. MC 130
A LEADING cancer expert, who was born in Lisbellaw, Dr Anna Gavin has advised farmers to wear factor 15 suncream when they are out on the land.
Dr Gavin, who is the director of the NI Cancer Registry, was speaking to the Herald after attending, with other GPs from the Western Area a pancreatic cancer seminar in Omagh.
Given her background, she directed her unusual message at farmers.
“We’re talking about malignant melanoma which is a very serious skin condition. Each year, over 300 people across Northern Ireland are diagnosed, and out of that 18 in Fermanagh and Omagh district council area.
“But it is very preventable. The risk factor is getting sun burnt as a child. Even at home you will get sunburnt because of the people of Fermanagh have nice fair skin. So our advice is: stay out of the sun or wear Factor 15 sun cream and wear a sun hat, particularly farmers.
“Malignant melanoma is the most rapidly increasing cancer and it is increasing more rapidly in men than in any other group, and in older men too.
“So farmers should be getting their sun cream out and putting on their sun hats.”
Northern Ireland wide, each year, some 12,000 people evenly split between men and women, are diagnosed with cancer.
In Fermanagh and Omagh district council, the numbers diagnosed are 383 men and 330 women. The figures do not include non-melanoma cancer.
There are, of course, various forms of cancer, one of them pancreatic cancer which the Omagh meeting with the GPs was about.
Dr Gavin reported there are 14 cases of this form of cancer across Fermanagh and Omagh council diagnosed each year out of 200 cases in Northern Ireland.
The meeting was told – and Dr Gavin agreed – that the symptoms are vague.
However, one pancreatic surgeon, Mark Taylor, who is based in the Mater Hospital, said it was ‘fantastic’ to have so many GPs attend, ‘because being educated about pancreatic cancer is vital.’
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