THIS WEEK, Cancer Council is celebrating 40 years of National Skin Cancer Action Week (NSCAW) by reminding Australians to protect themselves from our national cancer.

To mark the anniversary, Cancer Council is bringing Sid the Seagull’s iconic Slip, Slop, Slap Seek and Slide message back into focus, as new research from YouGov, undertaken in 2025, reveals his push for sun safety is as important as ever.

New research found that while almost two-thirds (63%) of Australians express concern about developing or redeveloping skin cancer, only around one-third (35%) believe sun protection is extremely important during outdoor activities.

One third (33%) of Millennials and one quarter (26%) of Gen Z believe that sun protection is extremely important when outdoors, compared to more than one third (37%) of Gen X and just under half (42%) of Baby Boomers.

Younger Australians (Gen Z & Millennials) are less likely than older generations (Gen X & Baby Boomers) to consider key individual sun protection habits as very important when heading outside.

Sally Blane, Chair of Cancer Council’s National Skin Cancer Committee, said the research findings show that more work can be done to encourage younger generations to be proactive about their own sun protection.

“Two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime, which is why sun protection across all generations is important,” said Ms Blane.

“Skin cancer is almost entirely preventable by using the five forms of sun protection – Slip on sun protective clothing, Slop on SPF50 or SPF50+ sunscreen, Slap on a broad-brimmed hat, Seek shade and Slide on sunglasses. Younger Australians have learnt from older generations that overexposure to UV is not worth the risk of developing skin cancer – now they need to take action.”

National Skin Cancer Action Week runs from Sunday, November 16 to Saturday, November 22. For more information about National Skin Cancer Action Week, and how to be SunSmart, visit http://www.cancer.org.au/ 

Follow the steps below for optimum protection:

Slip on sun protective clothing 
Slop on SPF50 or SPF50+, broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen 
Slap on a broad-brim hat 
Seek shade when possible, and 
Slide on sunglasses.