Clare Oliver

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Clare Oliver (25 August 1981 – 13 September 2007) was an Australian woman whose own health crisis prompted her to become an activist, garnering wide media coverage, seeking to ban the use of solariums. Clare's melanoma was first discovered as part of a health check up shortly after she had been employed by SBS television upon completion of a media degree.

She gained publicity on 22 August 2007 by announcing in an open letter that she only had days to live due to melanoma and stating her goal was to reach her 26th birthday.[1] She did, and celebrated at Luna Park in St Kilda, Victoria. Less than three weeks later, she died 8am EST, on 13 September at the Caritas Christi Hospice in Kew.[2][3]

Clare campaigned in her last days against the lack of regulations governing solariums, however, whilst she believed it a major factor in her illness, she had spent time sun baking at St Kilda in her earlier years, where she grew up.

The Australian government has since made previously voluntary code practices mandatory in the use of tanning beds in Australia.[4][5] The Victorian government also announced it would enact legislation to tighten the control of solariums by the end of 2007. [6]

Clare is survived by her mother, Priscilla Lau Oliver.

[edit] Legacy

Clare Oliver's Legacy is her vehement disapproval of Solarium's use in communities. In her life she campaigned for their complete ban and her legacy pertains the the dangers of sun tanning in general and how destructive skin cancers can be to anyone's life.

[edit] References

  1. ^ A tan to die for, The Herald Sun, August 23, 2007.
  2. ^ Cancer campaigner Clare Oliver dies, The Age, September 13, 2007.
  3. ^ Solarium skin cancer victim Clare Oliver dies, The Herald Sun, September 13, 2007.
  4. ^ Crackdown on tanning salons, The Herald Sun, August 23, 2007.
  5. ^ Brave Clare gets a boost, The Herald Sun, August 24, 2007.
  6. ^ Clare's dying wish to come true

[edit] External links