Press release
Minister Naughton reveals winners of the 2023 ‘Get SunSmart!’ Children’s Art Competition
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Hildegarde Naughton has today announced the winners of the second annual Get SunSmart! Children’s Art Competition.
The nationwide competition for primary school children is a Healthy Ireland initiative in collaboration with the Health Service Executive’s National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) and is designed to educate young people about the importance of protecting their skin from sun exposure.
Entrants were invited to submit artworks that illustrate the SunSmart behaviours which help protect people from the damaging effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
More than 1,000 entries were received across the three age categories. Following shortlisting by a panel, the overall winners were chosen by top artist, illustrator and writer Kathi Burke.
The winners are:
Minister Naughton said:
"I want to congratulate Caoimhe, Anna and Mia for their fantastic artworks and to all our category winners. They’ve shown wonderful creativity and imagination while highlighting the very important message of skin safety in the sun.
"I also want to thank our judge Kathi Burke for her work as I know that choosing the winners was no easy task.
"Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Ireland, but it is preventable.
"Reducing the incidences of skin cancer is the focus of the new National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan and the Get SunSmart! Competition is one of the many innovative ways in which we’re increasing awareness about skin protective behaviours.
"Spending time outdoors is good for us, but as we head into school holidays and hopefully sunny weather, I want to remind everyone to be SunSmart by following the 5Ss."
The SunSmart 5 Ss are:
These simple protective behaviours should be practised daily, especially from April to September when the intensity of UV radiation from the sun is greatest, even when it is cloudy.
Supported by Healthy Ireland, the SunSmart campaign is an initiative under the National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan 2023-2026. It uses a range of platforms to amplify its core messages about skin protective behaviours.
The category winners of the Get SunSmart! Children’s Art Competition will each receive an OPW Family Heritage Card which provides free admission for 2 Adults and 3 Children into all fee-paying State managed sites for one year, a family day pass for Dublin Zoo for 2 adults and up to 4 children and a National Book Token worth €20. Runner-up prizes of a Healthy Ireland SunSmart kit will also be awarded in each age category.