School holidays are just around the corner and people are gearing up for Christmas parties and family gatherings.

What better time to take a couple of minutes out of the day to think about health and take steps to ensure personal wellbeing before the end of the year?

A recent report into sun awareness showed a large percentage of people – particularly young women – were not heeding the warnings about covering up in the sun.

Being Skin Cancer Awareness Week, now is the perfect time for people to reacquaint themselves with the three basic tenets of sun protection.

It’s all about the ‘slip, slop, slap’.

Too many people have suffered the devastating effects of skin cancer.

It’s a nation-wide scourge.

But the often tragic consequences can be lessened with a commitment to skin safety, not just this summer, but every day during every season.

The days of baking on the beach smothered in coconut oil are long gone.

It is no longer considered fashionable to sport a hazardous tan.

Tanning is not safe and there are plenty of alternatives around for people wanting to achieve that sun-kissed look.

Ask anyone who has been through the frightening diagnosis of skin cancer and chances are they would give back every minute spent roasting in the sun for a clean bill of health.

So make sure fun in the sun during the Christmas period will not be a helath hazard.

Cover up with loose-fitting clothing when outdoors, wear plenty of sunscreen and don’t forget the broad-brimmed hat.

Taking precautions when exposed to direct sunlight does not mean an end to sun-drenched days at the beach or weekend barbecues around the pool.

It simply means that the sun safety awareness campaign is working and people are more attuned now than ever before as to what can happen if such precautions are ignored.

Don’t be another statistic this summer.

Have fun and enjoy the great outdoors.

But make sure to be around for many years to come by following the simple steps suggested by cancer authorities that can drastically reduce the likelihood of developing skin cancer.