Company Director to Bare All in Skinny Dip Fundraiser

Skin cancer sufferer and best-selling author, Karen Ong is daring to bare all to support the Butterfly Foundation and raise awareness of body image disorder and its influence on skin cancer risks.

Approximately 1 million Australian’s are currently suffering from an eating disorder whilst Melanoma is the most common cancer in young Australians (15–39 year olds) making up 20% of all their cancer cases killing more 20-34 year olds than any other cancer.

“People ask me what getting naked has to do with skin cancer,” said Ms Ong.

“Body image disturbance is high amongst younger Australians, but what people don’t realise is that tanning is one form of body image disturbance.

So, we have to ask is there a correlation between body image disturbance and high melanoma death rates in our 20-34 year olds?”

Karen explains why she is compelled to take up the Skinny Dip Dare to
Bare challenge.

“I launched a company with my son called Spotscreen five years ago, an organisation dedicated to saving lives through sun safety education and the early detection of skin cancer in workplaces,” said Ms Ong.

“I have screened thousands of people all throughout Australia, and almost every person has felt embarrassed dressed only in underwear and will often apologise to me over some aspect of their body’s appearance. I tell them they are perfect just the way they are!”

Having seen thousands of naked body’s over the years Karen is adamant that no two bodies are the same.

She explains that despite her own lifelong battle with negative body image issues, she has decided to bear all to support
the project.

“Each body is unique and each body is just beautiful the way it is – so, I need to walk my talk,” Ms Ong said.

“What people don’t realise is that tanning is viewed as improving the appearance of our body, when in fact, all it is doing is potentially giving ourselves skin cancer.”

Spotscreen will be attending the Purely Naked Skinny Dip Dare to Bare Challenge this Sunday to conduct free skin cancer checks and help those bodies that are baring all to stay protected in the sun.

Update: April 5, 2016 – Company Director bared all in Skinny Dip fundraiser