A Below Deck Down Under fan favorite is sharing an update on his health.
Even as the franchise’s captains come and go, Bravo fans from across the franchise keep tabs on them.
Captain Jason Chambers has opened up about his cancer diagnosis.
Addressing Below Deck fans directly, he’s encouraging everyone to be cautious — and to not repeat his mistakes.
Jason Chambers shares his diagnosis with ‘Below Deck’ fans
Below Deck Down Under star Jason Chambers underwent a biopsy in Bali.
There, he received a melanoma diagnosis. That is a form of skin cancer.
Upon returning to Australia, he received advice from doctors as he undergoes further testing.
In his December 16 Instagram video, Captain Jason detailed his stage two melanoma diagnosis.
“The Australian doctors, which are fantastic in Australia, they weren’t happy with what the indications told them to go to,” he shared. “The stage two, which would be to cut out a bigger section and test the glands.”
A stage two melanoma means that the cancerous growth has penetrated the skin deeper than one milometer. This means that it is more invasive, and requires additional care in removal. Particularly on the face.
Captain Jason has a warning for ‘Below Deck’ fans
“Look Australia, two out of three people suffer from melanoma,” he pointed out. “It’s a big thing.”
(Worldwide, the highest risk of melanoma is about 1 in 33, not 1 in 3. However, in Australia, the odds are much higher, perhaps even an estimated 1 in 17)
“I never used to wear sunscreen when I was on the boat,” the Below Deck Down Under star admitted.
“I used to put zinc on my nose, the reason being the chemicals,” Captain Jason admitted. Some people worry more about additives in lotion than they do about radiation.
“But there’s so many products out there that are chemical-free now,” he assured, “which is great.”
(Just to clarify: all matter in the universe is chemicals, including water, air, and skin)
‘I thought I was resistant’
“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 confessed in the caption.
Captain Jason expressed: “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.”
He advised: “With a diagnosed melanoma biopsy, I now have an anxious wait and what I thought was a skin spot turned in just 6 months, early detection is the key.”