Sunstruck

An inspiring story of survival, resilience and one man’s fight to save lives, encourage sun safety and combat skin cancer.

Jay Allen has hard-won knowledge that Australia is the skin cancer capital of the world. At least two in every three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. Jay is one of them. In 2008, at the age of thirty-two, he was diagnosed with Stage 3 melanoma and given a fifty per cent chance to live. Unlike so many, Jay survived.

Written with moving and raw honesty, Sunstruck follows Jay’s battle with melanoma, the physical and emotional toll it took on him and his young family, and the support from doctors and his loved ones that saw him through. After learning of the link tanning beds had to his own melanoma, Jay took on politicians and the media to successfully campaign for a nationwide ban on commercial solariums. His tireless advocacy for cancer prevention and education has since earned him the nickname ‘The Melanoma Man’.

Now the CEO and founder of the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation, which funds vital cancer research, provides much-needed support to patients and is rolling out mobile skin-check trucks across the country to make skin checks available for all at no cost, Jay’s activism, fundraising and educational talks have impacted thousands of lives. He is determined to stop others from experiencing the same trauma he did.

Then, in January 2021, after being cancer-free for over twelve years, Jay’s doctor had bad news. What they initially thought was a bad bout of tonsillitis turned out to be cancer again – squamous cell carcinoma. Through months of brutal chemotherapy and radiation, Jay never stopped fighting. Today, he is cancer-free.

Honest, eye-opening and ultimately uplifting, this memoir is a testament to the power of determination and purpose. Sunstruck is not only a cautionary tale of the importance of sun safety, but a profound story about turning personal hardship into a fight for change.

Author Biography

Jay Allen OAM is the CEO and founder of the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation. After a very close call with melanoma, Jay became a highly passionate advocate for skin cancer education. His mission is to educate as many people as possible about reducing the incidence of skin cancer. Jay’s ultimate wish: one day, we will live in a cancer-free world.

From 2010 to 2016, Jay lobbied for and was successful in achieving a nationwide ban on commercial solariums. In 2014, Jay was named in the Top 25 Not for Profit’s Most Influential People by Pro Bono Magazine. In 2017, Jay was nominated for the Australian of the Year Award in the Local Hero category. He has organised, promoted and led fundraisers, raising millions for cancer research. In 2021, Jay was presented with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) at Government House in Sydney.