Your Story Series: Meet Matt

What is your occupation?

I am a trade qualified carpenter. So 95% of my work is outdoors in the elements.

What is your attitude towards sun protection today?

Having grown up in a very active family, from a very early age I was participating in team sports whether it be football, tee-ball or cricket.

My parents taught me the importance of using sun cream and zinc to protect my face, but also the benefit of wearing a long sleeve shirt to cover my arms, and a bucket hat or broad brim hat to keep the sun off my neck and ears.

All throughout my life my dad has had "skin cancers" cut out from his chest and his back. This is all from years in the sun when he was younger surfing and being out with no sun protection on.

Just recently he has had to apply the cream on his face which brings out all of the sun damage nastiness and over a few weeks scabs up leaving the skin pretty raw.

It's not a pretty sight but it all comes down to him not having the education about what sun damage can do when he was younger. In 2020, we have that information and we know the consequences of what sun damage can lead to. So when I am out on the course playing golf, which is now my number 1 sport, I try to wear my long sleeve Solbari shirts to give me that added sun protection.

What would you tell your 16-year-old self about taking care of your skin and sun protection?

There's actually nothing cool about being tanned.

Also, young people are very partial to fashion, a broad brim hat or bucket hat can definitely make an outfit, you just have to be committed enough to wear it.

I would rather be able to enjoy my life with my family, playing the sports I love until I physically can't play anymore, all because I have been sun smart throughout my younger days.