The West Coast might not be known for its sunshine hours, but the numbers told a different story at this year’s AgFest West Coast with one in four Melanoma New Zealand free spot checks identifying a suspicious lesion.
Across the two-day event, Melanoma New Zealand saw 118 people for free spot checks, with 32 of these being referred for follow-up attention.
The spot checks were part of the FMG Spot Check Roadie, which saw the Melanoma New Zealand van make tracks to AgFest in October, giving locals the chance to have up to three spots checked for signs of skin cancer.
The 32 suspicious spots identified included:
- 3 suspected melanomas
- 20 suspected basal cell carcinomas
- 5 suspected squamous cell carcinomas
- 4 other suspicious lesions
Melanoma New Zealand Key Partnerships Manager Kylie Williams says the results show the value of making Spot Checks available in rural communities.
“To identify 1 in 4 people with suspicious lesions from 118 spot checks is significant and some of the highest rates we have seen on the FMG Spot Check Roadie.”
“We know rural New Zealanders can spend a lot of time working outdoors, and that UV exposure can happen in rain, hail and shine, so taking spot checks to events like AgFest is one way we can make it easier for people to get their skin checked. Melanoma Awareness Month is also a timely reminder for everyone to get to know their skin and get anything new or changing checked.”
FMG’s Head of External Events and Sponsorship Charlotte Cooley said:
“We’re really proud to support Melanoma New Zealand to get out to events like AgFest. You never know when that quick spot check might just save a life”.
“For us, it’s about helping make these services accessible to rural communities. These are people who may have otherwise carried on with their day-to-day lives not knowing there was something they needed to get checked”.
In 2025, FMG purchased a new South Island Spot Check van for Melanoma New Zealand, extending the FMG Spot Check Roadie’s reach into more rural communities. With vans now based in both the North and South Islands, Melanoma New Zealand can provide more free spot checks and melanoma education at rural events, helping make potentially lifesaving early detection and prevention services more accessible to people living and working rurally.
