Raheem Suleman will advocate for a healthier Alberta with more than 40 other medical students at the Alberta Legislature.
University of Alberta medical student Raheem Suleman knows he's just one small voice among many. But he hopes together, Alberta's future doctors will be heard loud and clear by the province's MLAs on Dec. 1.
"We'll be holding our Political Action Day at the Legislature," explains Suleman. "We'll be discussing the need for legislation prohibiting the use of indoor tanning equipment by minors, and have meetings scheduled with a number of MLAs."
Political Action Day has been held annually since 2008 by medical students from the University of Alberta's Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine. This year's event will see more than 40 students gather in the legislature to meet with MLAs from each major political party, including a session with new Minister of Health Stephen Mandel. The students hope the recent change in leadership in the Ministry of Health won't delay the important legislation, which the previous health minister had said would be introduced in the fall session of the legislative assembly.
"We're hopeful that Minister Mandel shares (the previous minister of health's) views on this important issue and will continue with plans to introduce this legislation," says Suleman.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, exposure to UV radiation dramatically increases one's risk of developing skin cancer of all types, including the deadliest form, melanoma. Despite the fact that this disease is largely preventable, an estimated 6,500 Canadians will be diagnosed with melanoma in 2014 and more than 1000 will die from it. Indoor tanning devices have been classified as known carcinogens by the World Health Organization, and while most other Canadian provinces have taken steps to limit youth access to their use, Alberta is one of only two provinces which have no regulations in place.
"Alberta youth deserve the protection of the Alberta government," says Suleman. "The tanning bed users of today could very well become the melanoma patients of tomorrow. As future physicians, while we can't change the past, we can do our utmost to advocate for the interests of our patients now and protect the health some of the most vulnerable members of society."
Suleman says student efforts have proven successful in the past, pointing to last year's efforts to have the province pass a law prohibiting the sale of flavoured tobacco products. A few weeks after Political Action Day was held in 2013, Alberta passed Bill 206, the Tobacco Reduction (Flavoured Tobacco Products) Amendment Act.
While it's too soon to say how successful this year's effort will be, Suleman says it's vital that Alberta's future doctors continue to show leadership in speaking up for health.
"Our responsibility to Albertans, and to our patients, doesn't end when they leave the clinic. We have an ethical, moral and professional obligation to continue to advocate for their health in whatever manner is available to us. As medical students, that ingrained desire to make a positive impact on society is part of who we are and why we chose this profession."