'It's killing us': Deaths drive Dubbo families in fight against tanning

Emily Nettle was only a teenager when her mum, Toni McMillan, was diagnosed with melanoma.

Mrs McMillan, who together with her husband owns the local Colour Copy Shop, has been battling melanoma since 2007 when a bleeding mole on her back was diagnosed as cancerous.

After being surgically removed along with some lymph nodes, Mrs McMillan was clear for nine years, before melanoma returned in her liver and oesophagus.

"It's been awful," Ms Nettle said about her mum's cancer.

"When we were younger with her first lot of melanoma, that came as a bit of a shock, but I was only a teenager. And then when she overcame that we thought, yep, this wouldn't reappear.

"And then years later it seems to be this thing that keeps resurfacing."

Mrs McMillan has undergone immunotherapy treatments, and her latest scans were clear.

The family will be marching against melanoma and raising money to help others with treatments at this year's Dubbo Melanoma March.

"We've been marching alongside mum for the past seven years," Ms Nettle said.

"Since her first diagnosis, immunotherapy treatments have undergone incredible advancements and with zero deaths the goal by Melanoma Institute Australia, we as a family are committed to getting behind these efforts by helping to raise much-needed funding and greater awareness for sun safety."

Melanoma March events have been held across the country for 13 years to raise awareness and support Melanoma Institute Australia's life-saving research.

The institute's co-medical directors and 2024 Australians of the Year, Professor Georgina Long and Professor Richard Scolyer, are urging Australians to join the marches to raise vital research funds and add their voices to calls to stop the glamourisation of tanning.

"There is nothing healthy about a tan. Nothing. Our bronzed Aussie culture is actually killing us," Professor Long said.

"So we call on advertisers, and social media influencers - stop glamourising tanning, or using it to sell or entertain. And our fellow Australians - when you see it, call it out, and demand change."

Ms Nettle said she feels horrible when she sees tanning culture represented on television, or when she sees people tanning.

"I really worry about people who aren't sun safe and get out in the sun and tan. Like, yeah, I know they're after the brown skin but it's so dangerous. It's really dangerous," she said.

Her own mum, though sun safe now, grew up when the sun safety message wasn't as urgent as it is today.

"We've talked more about it and she said growing up, you know, they did just go to the beach and have zinc across their nose and that was it," Ms Nettle said.

"She also had her interests, riding horses. It was all outdoor activities. So, I guess that contributed to, years later, where she is now with melanoma."

Many local families who have lost loved ones to melanoma will be participating in the upcoming march, including the Reid family whose son and brother, Tim Reid, died aged 29.

The Dubbo march was co-developed by the Beggs family whose daughter Carrie-Ann died of melanoma aged 43.

The Melanoma March will take place on Saturday, March 9 at 9am (meet at 8.30am) at the River Foreshore on Tubba-Gah Country, Dubbo. All money raised will go to the Melanoma Institute Australia.

Find out more about how you can donate and participate in the Melanoma March at https://melanomamarch.org.au/