Entirely funded through donation and fundraising, the skin check trucks provide a vital early detection service that saves lives. Photo: Australia Skin Cancer Foundation.
She’s big, bold and impossible to miss. If you’ve spotted this brightly coloured truck parked in your town, chances are it’s delivering free skin checks that are saving lives.
There are two Australian Skin Cancer Foundation mobile skin check trucks travelling the country and the newest, which arrives in Broulee on Saturday (25 July), is equipped with the world’s first 3D WB360 Vectra imaging system.
The visit to Broulee won’t go unnoticed by the residents of this small coastal town, because they helped fund the truck and its ground-breaking technology through their annual winter gala.
The trucks belong to the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation, a not-for profit organisation launched in 2021 by Order of Australia Medal recipient and Melanoma and throat cancer survivor Jay Allen.
Receiving no government funding, the foundation relies entirely on donations to keep its mobile clinics on the road, making community fundraisers like the Broulee Winter Gala vital to its work.
The 2025 Winter Gala was a huge success and although the format may be a little different this year, the aims are the same. Photo: Sam Franks.
Now in its fourth year, the gala is organised by locals Lee and Brooke Louttit, who look forward to this year’s event adding to the more than $110,000 raised across the previous three galas.
Held at Outpost Bar on 24 July, this year’s event may be smaller than previous years at Broulee Surf Club, but Brooke says its purpose is as important as ever.
“Cancer rates continue to rise and we really want to raise awareness for early detection and funds for the trucks. A lot of the time melanoma just isn’t detected because people can’t pay the money to get a skin check or they don’t live in an area where they can get the skin check for free,” Brooke tells Region.
For Brooke and her mother Lee, who have championed the cause and brought a whole town along on the journey, the motivation is deeply personal.
In 2022 they lost Lee’s brother — Brooke’s uncle, Anthony Simmons — to melanoma.
During his illness, Anthony became a passionate advocate for the foundation, taking part in charity walks and fundraising campaigns to raise awareness and support its work.
Today, the newest skin check truck carries a lasting tribute to him, with the imaging suite named in his honour.
“He was a great uncle and was a great brother to my mum and they were very close,” Brooke said.
“It was just a very rare kind of melanoma and he put up a really good fight and we’re continuing the work that he started with Jay at the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation.”
The 3D imaging room on the newest skin check truck is named in honour of Anthony Simmons. Photo: Brooke Louttit.
A ticket to the gala includes a glass of bubbles on arrival, roaming canapés and live music from Soul Tonic, who have donated their time to every Winter Gala.
Brooke hopes people will enjoy a memorable night out, then return the following day to take advantage of the free skin checks when the truck rolls into town.
For information and tickets to the Broulee Winter Gala head to the booking portal. For more information on the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation head to the website.
