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Below Deck Down Under star Jason Chambers has revealed he’s been diagnosed with melanoma.
The Bravo boat captain shared a health update to his fans in a video posted to Instagram on Monday (December 16). Chambers, 52, began the clip by explaining that he recently had a “biopsy,” which came back with a melanoma diagnosis.
“For someone that spent their life in the sun, as a child playing sport to working on the ocean, I thought I was resistant to the damaging effects of the sun,” he wrote in the caption. “I love the sun and its health benefits are evident, but be wise and like everything in life, it’s all about balance, choose your battles.
“With a diagnosed melanoma biopsy, I now have an anxious wait and what I thought was a skin spot turned in just six months, early detection is the key,” Chambers added. “So find a chemical free sunscreen product, get some shade with a hat and enjoy the sun with protection.”
In the video, Chambers — who shares a daughter named Saskia with his ex — explained that he had his initial biopsy done in Bali. Now, he’s waiting for his test results from his doctors in Bali, which may not arrive until after Christmas.
The boat captain went on to suggest that “two out of three people” in Australia suffer from melanoma.
“It’s a big thing,” he said. “I never used to wear sunscreen when I was on the boat. I used to put zinc on my nose, the reason being the chemicals. But there’s so many products out there that are chemical-free now, which is great.”
“So, make sure you throw on some sunscreen, get some shade and cover yourself up and enjoy your day out in the sun,” Chambers concluded the clip.
According to the Mayo Clinic, melanoma is a kind of skin cancer that “starts in the melanocytes” and typically starts on skin that’s often exposed to the sun. Some health experts believe that exposure to ultraviolet light is the leading cause of melanoma. Ultraviolet light, also called UV light, comes from the sun and from tanning lamps and beds.
Research from Melanoma Institute Australia suggests that one Australian is diagnosed with melanoma every 30 minutes. It is estimated that 16,800 Australians are diagnosed with melanoma each year, making it the most common form of cancer for Australians aged 20 to 39.
Meanwhile in the U.S., about 100,640 new melanomas were diagnosed in the last year. Skin cancer also ranks as the most common form of cancer, with one in five Americans developing it in their lifetime, per the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).
To best protect against skin cancer, dermatologists recommend applying a “broad-spectrum, water-resistant” sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
