The Canterbury Charity Hospital is once again hosting a free Skin Check Day on Saturday 11 October 2025 to identify skin cancer.

The event is open exclusively to low-income adults aged 50 and older without medical insurance who cannot afford private skin checks.

Approximately 90,000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed annually in New Zealand, alongside around 3,000 melanoma registrations.

This contributes to over 500 skin cancer deaths each year, with melanoma alone claiming more than 300 lives.

The upcoming event builds on the success of previous Skin Check Days, where volunteer health professionals have identified serious cancers, enabling participants to access prompt treatment.

Averill Williamson, clinical nurse manager at the Canterbury Charity Hospital, highlighted the eligibility criteria:

“The other criteria for registration is that they don’t have medical insurance and can’t afford a skin check privately.”

Volunteer dermatologists, nurses, and other experts will provide full-body examinations at no cost, offering a lifeline to those burdened by rising healthcare expenses.

The hospital, a community-driven trust established in 2007, relies on donations and volunteer goodwill to deliver free medical, surgical, and dental services across Canterbury and the West Coast.

Registrations for the October 11 event are now open via the Canterbury Charity Hospital website.