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Norma Connolly

Slip, slop, slap - Australians have had the sun-protection slogan drilled into them for years.

Now Hong Kong children are being targeted with the same message to 'slip on a T-shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat'.

The Hong Kong Cancer Fund yesterday launched the SunSmart awareness campaign based on the slogan,  along with a new sunscreen range for children.

Non-melanoma skin cancer is one of the  10 most common cancers  in Hong Kong.

The latest  Hospital Authority figures show 602 new cases of non-melanoma skin cancer were reported in 2002, compared with only 298 in 1993.

Together with Mannings, the fund has launched an SPF30+ sunscreen range.  Fifteen per cent of the wholesale price will be donated to the cancer charity.

Fund chairwoman Sally Lo  said: 'We were stunned to see that non-melanoma skin cancer is now ranked one of the 10 most common cancers in Hong Kong.

'In addition to introducing an effective sunscreen, we are educating the community  ... The SunSmart education campaign will target schools as a priority and aims to  ... motivate youngsters to become aware of the sun's dangers.'

Peter Hutchison, chairman of the Cancer Society of New Zealand and a guest at  yesterday's launch, said research had identified children to be at particular risk. 'Excessive sun exposure and  painful sunburn during childhood and adolescence appear to be factors in the development of melanoma and other skin cancers in later life,' he said.

The SunSmart campaign  was introduced by the Cancer Council of Victoria, Australia, in 1980.

The Hong Kong fund  will distribute SunSmart leaflets at primary and secondary schools.



Cancer fund tells children to slip, slop, slap