Windhoek — Standard Bank Namibia has committed N$120 000 to the "Save Your Own Skin Campaign" of the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN), intended to raise skin cancer awareness and highlight the importance of preventing skin cancer.

Speaking at the handover of the sponsorship, Mpumzi Pupuma, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Bank Namibia said the establishment of the campaign was prompted by the trend in newly diagnosed skin cancer cases.

"Skin cancer is the number one cancer in Namibia, and it is therefore important that we partner with the relevant stakeholders to create awareness, both in rural and urban areas," he said.

Pupuma narrated that sun protection should be everyone's priority, "since the sun shines most of the time in Namibia". He added that it is important for people to be reminded about the dangers of not protecting themselves from the sun, explaining that being under a shade, wearing a hat, sunglasses and using sunscreen are some of the simplest measures that can be taken to protect oneself.

According to the Cancer Association of Namibia, the warning signs of skin cancer are skin growth that increases in size and appears pearly, translucent, black or brown; moles that change size, colour and texture; an open sore that does not heal in three weeks; or a spot that continues to itch, hurt, crust, scab, erode or bleed.

The Save your Own Skin campaign that strated this month will run until October 2013.