MEET SPOT!
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SPOT will make sure you turn up and have the questions / info to ensure a thorough skin check.
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SPOT can assess your skin cancer risk, help you be sun-smart and challenge your friends to get checked too!
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OPEN SPOT!
SPOT lives on Facebook (Meta) Messenger, making it nice and personal. SPOT will send you reminder messages, follow-up after your skin check and steer you towards support services if you need them. It's designed to be your new 'niggling' friend. Making sure you book a skin check and be more sun-smart. Things which could really save your life.
WHY WE MADE SPOT
According to previous year averages, over 81,000 people would have normally been treated for skin cancer – but haven’t – because of the pandemic and associated lock-downs which have made it difficult for people to see their GP or skin cancer clinic for a skin check.
This figure comes from a study by Cancer Australia which warns of a dangerous surge in late stage cancer numbers if people don’t take action. Meaning – it’s never been more important to get a skin check. Thankfully, over 98% of skin cancers can be successfully treated if they’re detected early, which is exactly what SPOT is all about.
SPOT was launched on the first day of summer 2021, and was created by the Founder of Skin Check Champions, Scott Maggs, formerly known as Jimmy Niggles Esq. He lost his mate Wes Bonny to skin cancer at the age of 26 and thinks if something like SPOT was being shared around back then, it might have saved his mate’s life.
SPOT WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT:
Our good friend Struthless graciously lent his hand and wit to bring SPOT to life. Illustrating its character with inspiration from Sid the Seagull and Clippy the annoying Microsoft Word assistant – the first chat bot a lot of us would have interacted with.
SPOT has over ten different moods which you can not only find in Messenger but on GIPHY and in your Instagram / Facebook GIF / Sticker functions. We encourage you to post SPOT to your stories and feeds with rampant urgency (simply search: ‘skin check champions’) sharing a link to SPOT to encourage your friends to get checked too!!
SPOT was funded by nib foundation as part of its Health Smart Grants program. SPOT was chosen for its innovative approach to educating Australians on how to proactively take care of their skin health and help prevent the immediate and long-term risk of skin cancer. Especially due to the dramatic drop in the number of Australia’s getting skin checks over the past couple of years. Helping people take positive actions towards better health and wellbeing.
Another important partner is Novartis Australia & New Zealand, who have contributed valuable knowledge and insights from their patient engagement teams, as well as expertise in data management, security and implementation. They are also eager to deploy SPOT as part of their Wellness Day initiative which also encourages people to get checked.
