Melanoma and Skin Cancer Trials has been chosen by the Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association (ALPA) as its 2024 charity.
ALPA CEO, Peter Baldwin, said Melanoma and Skin Cancer Trials was chosen as the recipient of this year’s fundraising efforts as “skin cancer resonated very strongly with our membership and their families.”
ALPA is the national peak industry body for livestock and property agents and represents over 1,200 agency businesses across Australia. Collectively this group plays an important role in livestock, wool, merchandise and rural property sales and marketing. ALPA Members handle more than 97% of rural agency business Australia-wide.
Apart from raising funds for Melanoma and Skin Cancer Trials, Mr Baldwin said the choice of charity would also raise awareness of skin cancer amongst ALPA members and their families.
“There wouldn’t be a person within our organisation who hasn’t been touched by an incidence of skin cancer – hopefully not melanoma, but certainly we are all exposed to the sun. We’ve always believed stock and station agents have a terrific, ‘can-do’ attitude and conducting clinical trials is a positive, outcome-driven process – and that’s what we love,” Mr Baldwin said.
Melanoma and Skin Cancer Trials Board Chair, Professor Mark Shackleton welcomed the financial support from ALPA, saying it would also raise awareness among a section of the community that was underrepresented in getting skin checks.
“They are also overrepresented in terms of skin cancer risk, which is higher in regional Australians, particularly in people who work outside. Often the two go together, so it’s a great synergy between ALPA and Melanoma and Skin Cancer Trials,” Professor Shackleton said.
