More than 200 people get potentially lifesaving skin cancer advice on Dénia beach

A day at the beach became an opportunity to potentially save lives in Dénia this weekend, as more than 200 people stopped for expert advice on protecting themselves against skin cancer.

Doctors and health professionals swapped consulting rooms for the sand at l’Estanyó beach in Les Marines on Sunday, August 9, as part of the ninth Solar Campaign for the Prevention of Skin Cancer organised by the Ondara branch of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC).

Throughout the morning, holidaymakers and local residents were able to ask questions about sun exposure, learn what changes in their skin they should be looking out for and receive personalised advice on reducing their risk.

More than 200 people visited the information point, making this year’s event one of the campaign’s best-attended editions in recent years.

Taking skin cancer prevention onto the beach

Rather than waiting for people to seek information in a medical setting, the annual campaign takes the message directly to one of the places where sun protection matters most.

Health professionals at the l’Estanyó stand offered guidance on caring for the skin, protecting against harmful solar radiation and recognising possible warning signs that could require further medical attention.

Doctors Ana Morell, Joana Grunayes, Juan Montes and Almudena Monteagudo took part alongside FarmaOndara, providing specialist advice to visitors.

The campaign particularly stressed the importance of early detection of melanoma, encouraging people to become familiar with their own skin and pay attention to changes in moles or suspicious lesions.

Ahead of the event, organisers highlighted three simple precautions: avoiding direct sun exposure between 11am and 5pm, wearing suitable clothing and a hat or cap, and using sunscreen with SPF 50 or higher.

Simple habits can make a difference

The timing of the campaign is particularly relevant during August, when beaches across the Costa Blanca are packed and residents and visitors can spend hours outdoors under the Mediterranean sun.

Organisers used the event to reinforce the message that sun protection should become part of everyday summer life rather than something people think about only after suffering sunburn.

Regularly applying appropriate sunscreen, seeking shade during periods of intense radiation and checking the skin for changes were among the preventative habits promoted during the event.

Mª Carmen Bisquert, president of the AECC’s Ondara branch, welcomed the strong public response, saying the turnout demonstrated growing awareness of the importance of looking after the skin and preventing cancer.

She also stressed that prevention remains one of the most effective tools available and encouraged people to regularly check their moles.

Nine years of raising awareness

Now in its ninth year, the campaign has become a familiar summer health initiative organised by the AECC’s Ondara branch.

This year’s event was held under the slogan “Está protegida, pero su piel no”, roughly meaning “She’s protected, but her skin isn’t”, with the aim of reminding beachgoers that enjoying the sunshine safely requires active protection.

The initiative was supported by Ondara and Dénia councils as well as the Red Cross, with Dénia mayor Rafa Carrió and Ondara mayor José Ramiro visiting the information point during the morning.

Volunteers from the AECC also helped deliver the campaign, which forms part of the organisation’s wider summer efforts to raise awareness of skin cancer and the dangers associated with excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

For organisers, attracting more than 200 people was an encouraging sign that the message is getting through.

And with weeks of Mediterranean sunshine still ahead, the advice from l’Estanyó was simple: enjoy the beach, but make protecting your skin as routine as packing your towel.