Deb Hutton working with Coasties to spread sun safety message
When Deborah Hutton posted a photo of her dramatic facial scar on Instagram following an operation to remove two invasive basal cell carcinomas, it went viral. It also marked a turning point in Deb’s life: she is now dedicated to spreading the word about skin cancer prevention.
In 2022 she made a documentary series, Skin Deep, with 7News Spotlight and she is a passionate ambassador for the Skin Cancer Foundation.
“I wish I’d known a lot earlier about harmful UV rays and the obvious steps I should have taken to protect myself, but like a lot of us, we weren’t fully aware and now suffer the consequences,” she says.
“After surviving two significant skin cancer surgeries but still wanting to continue my love of the outdoors, I was looking for solutions.”
Photo: Instagram. Words: Sally Macmillan.
Enter Tina Madsen-Walcott, co-owner of Rigon Headwear with husband Peter Walcott. Tina saw the now famous photo of Deb’s scar and sent her some Rigon hats to try on. Deb was shocked to discover that her favourite golf cap and straw beach hat offered a bit of shade but no protection from UV rays.
Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world and 95 per cent of most skin cancers are in the head and neck area, so regular skin checks are vital.
“If these skin cancers are not detected, you could lose everything you need to communicate with – your mouth, your ears, your nose – but when it’s caught in time you can avoid invasive surgery and possibly save your life.”
Deb says wearing hats that give the maximum possible sun-protection is really a no-brainer.
“I wanted to make it my mission to share the message that your favourite hat may not be doing its job, and a UPF 50+ material has been proven to be more protective in blocking UV rays.”
Tina, Peter and Deb got together to design and produce Deb’s range of Canopy Bay hats, which launched in September 2021; the summer collection is now available at canopybay.com.au and in stores across Australia.
One of the most striking designs is the ‘Carla’ hat, named for renowned fashion designer Carla Zampatti, who passed away while Deb was designing the range.
“I wanted to acknowledge her enormous contribution to Australian fashion and felt this was a suitable way to remember her, having known her since I started modelling in the early 1980s,” Deb explains.
Every Canopy Bay hat is certified Made in Australia and is created at Rigon Headwear’s warehouse complex in West Gosford. The hats are made from Peter’s patented Flexibraid fabric and undergo a rigorous testing procedure in Victoria before they can be certified UPF 50+. They are not only protective and stylish, they’re incredibly practical; they have an adjustable inside strap so they fit all sizes (and don’t blow away on a windy day); and they’re washable, squashable and spring back into shape after they’ve been packed flat.
Peter Walcott had been in his family’s haberdashery business for many years and when he started Rigon Headwear in 1998, he suggested that his Danish wife, Tina, a highly qualified biochemist, should join him. Tina had always been interested in fashion and discovered she loved the creative process involved in designing hats. As their company, then based in Botany, needed more space to expand, the couple decided to buy a warehouse in West Gosford and moved to Green Point.
“Our youngest daughter, who’s now 17, had just been born when we moved,” Tina says, “and our oldest daughter had to start school. We had to choose whether to travel from home in the Eastern suburbs to work at the new warehouse or live nearby. Fortunately, it all worked out and we’ve been happily based here ever since.”
When covid hit in 2020, the couple decided to move the manufacturing arm of the business from China to the Coast. It was a risky decision but one that paid off. Rigon Headwear now employs about 35 people in its five warehouses and produces several different brands of hats, including new label Oogee, Before Dark, Tina M Copenhagen, Evoke, Summer Living, Autumn Daze, and all the headwear in the Australian Cancer Council’s range.
Ten per cent of the Cancer Council range’s wholesale price goes into cancer research and a showroom at Rigon Headwear’s premises at 7/13 Enterprise Close, West Gosford, NSW 2250 stocks the elegant Christine range of turbans and scarves, designed for cancer patients who have lost their hair. The range is also available here. Deborah Hutton is rightly proud of her Canopy Bay range of hats, but she will never stop reminding us about the importance of preventing skin cancer.
“It’s Australia’s disease,” she says.
“It is usually invisible to the naked eye so regular skin checks are vital. I am very lucky to have an amazing surgeon who double-checks my skin along with my dermatologist every three months.
“Please do as I do now, not what I did when I was younger. You can still enjoy a wonderful sporty, outdoor lifestyle – just make sure you wear sunscreen, a proper hat and get regular check-ups.”
Lunch with Deborah Hutton Deb Hutton is the keynote speaker at the Hunter Melanoma Foundation’s (HMF) 35th anniversary lunch at The NEX in Newcastle on Friday February 17, 2023. The event will feature stalls selling Canopy Bay hats, sun-safe Novo Tan products, Shy Skin swimwear and HMF merchandise; tickets are $120 per person and include a glass of Champagne on arrival and a two-course lunch. Book here or through HMF’s social pages, email claudia@hmf.org.au or call 0412 955 934.
