Anne Gately’s powerful memoir Sunburnt A memoir of sun, surf and skin cancer chronicles her inspiring journey from Stage IV melanoma to advocacy for sun safety.
Anne Gately, a survivor of skin cancer, the most common cancer diagnosed in Australia, is set to release her touching memoir titled Sunburnt this May, timed with Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness month. This compelling narrative details her personal battle with the disease and her remarkable journey toward recovery, resilience, and advocacy for sun safety.
With the Foreword written by Professor Georgina Long AO and early praise from media personality Deborah Hutton, in Sunburnt, Anne Gately shares her harrowing experience confronting the devastating impacts of melanoma, a disease that is alarmingly prevalent killing more Australians than die on our roads. Through candid reflections and poignant storytelling, she offers readers a glimpse into the physical and emotional
turmoil she faced while battling this aggressive form of cancer.
However, Sunburnt is not just a tale of survival. It is a call to action. Anne is leveraging her 30 years of experience in the advertising and marketing industry to challenge societal norms and advocate for change in how Australians perceive and approach sun safety. With melanoma rates on the rise, and it being the cancer that kills the most 20- 39 year olds, Anne emphasises the importance of shifting our culture, first by recognising its influence and then offering suggestions on how to change it.
“At the heart of Sunburnt is a traditional Aussie value of looking after your mate, I see skin cancer as a WE problem not just a ME problem” says Anne Gately. “My melanoma journey has given me the clarity to see just how inadequate we are as a society in sun protection and how ingrained and damaging our bronzed Aussie mentality is”.
In her memoir, Gately demonstrates how the media industry reinforces the bronzed narrative and our sporting culture enables poor sun protection behaviour. “But there’s good news” says Gately “because of the influence these industries have on Australian culture they are in a position to lead us out of this situation”.
“Anne is 100% correct in calling for Australia to start addressing skin cancer not as a ME problem but a WE problem,” said Tanya Buchanan, CEO Cancer Council Australia.
“It’s a powerfully honest journey of survival…and you’re one hell of a brave woman! This book should be included in every essential reading list in all high schools,” said Deborah Hutton.
Sunburnt will be available in bookstores nationwide from May 1, 2024.
