Romanian skin cancer patients have the lowest survival rate in Europe

This summer Spot the Dot got in touch with Alex Tősér who found the Faster Than Skincancer Campaign via their BMX ambassadors. Alex got inspired to help spread awareness in Romania. According to the World Health Organization, in Romania, the incidence rate for melanoma is 4,7 for men and 4,4 for women, for every 100,000 people. Although relatively easily treatable when caught early, the lack of education amongst Romanians concerning skin cancer prevention has resulted in the lowest survival rate in Europe – 5 years. As the Romanian Society of Aesthetic Medicine and Cosmetic and Surgical Dermatology stated, this rate is due to the late diagnosis of the disease. 

Spot the Dot teams up with Alex Tősér to find ways to inform young Romanians about the importance of early detection of skin cancer. Together they aim to bring the number of newly diagnosed skin cancer patients in Romania down and when prevention has failed, they aim for early detection by encouraging everyone to:

Find out more about detection and prevention of skin cancer here

The man who brought Faster Than Skincancer to Romania

Hi, I am Alex, I’m 25 years old and I live in Timișoara, Romania.  I work as a software engineer and I ride BMX in my free time. I am doing my best to help and grow the BMX community in Romania. I love helping people and once I heard about the Faster Than Skincancer campaign via befriended BMX riders who talked about this campaign on social media.  I realized that everyone should be informed and aware about skin cancer.

Since I started getting tattooed, I have been more aware of health related to my skin. I started to protect my skin more from sun damage. I finally informed myself on how much damage sun exposure can actually provoke.

Uniting Romanian tattoo artists and BMX & skate athletes

It is really easy to prevent unnecessary sun damage and I want to help to spread that message. I was drawn to the idea behind Spot The Dot and the fact they work with artists and athletes – it’s awesome! And so I decided it’s time to bring the project to Romania!

I am helping by reaching out friends, tattoo artists, BMX and Skate athletes from Romania to help spread the awareness of skin cancer. I would like to continue riding BMX and just have a good time.

Only this time I will have a better look at my skin and possible suspicious spots.

More young Romanians decided to support the campaign

The twenty year old skateboarder Andrew joined Alex to support Faster Than Skincancer in Romania. Andrew states:  Even though I am only 20 years old, I had to see a friend die from skin cancer. He was too late to notice the skin cancer and to see a doctor. Right now I’m pretty careful myself, I visit the derrmatologist for a skin check every year, and I make sure to always use sun protection when I skate outside.

We will update you on all developments in Romania and all new ambassadors, soon they will be featured on www.fasterthanskincancer.org as well as on our Instagram page

Do you want to get in contact with Alex?

If anyone wants to help to spread the word in Romania – contact Alex on instagram: @shaunbikes
If you have any questions directed to Spot the Dot, find our contact details here

Photography by @timi.hlosciuc
Alex is wearing the official Faster Than Skincancer longsleeve which is available via our shop