The Skin Centre earns health honours

Written on the 29 August 2024

A Gold Coast company that has helped people with skin cancer for almost 30 years has been recognised for its incredible contribution to the city.

The Skin Centre, which has grown to become a Gold Coast institution, has won the Health and Wellbeing Award for August in the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards.

Founded by Dr Michael Freeman and now owned by his son Dr Andrew Freeman, the Benowa-headquartered business now treats more than 20,000 people every year.

Managing director Ashley Freeman, a former corporate lawyer, said the company led the way in patient care, clinical trials and research.

“Living in the skin cancer epicentre of the world, we are committed to reducing skin cancer mortality and morbidity rates through R&D projects, developing novel technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer,’’ she said.

“We have been conducting global clinical trials for over 25 years in collaboration with pharmaceutical, biomedical and medical device companies, which enables us to bring groundbreaking treatments for dermatological conditions to the world.

Dr Andrew Freeman was the first dermatologist on the Gold Coast to perform Mohs Micrographic Surgery, a specialised surgery technique for the removal of certain skin cancers which has the highest cure rate of any form of skin cancer surgery.

“He is one of only 70 dermatologists in Australia who is qualified to perform this surgery,’’ said Mrs Freeman.

Mrs Freeman said most of their bookings came from patient word-of-mouth recommendations and referrals from doctors and other medical professionals.

She said the business was still growing and now employs over 30 people.

The August winners in the other categories of the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards were:

• Mayor’s Innovation GC Award: Regen Australia
• Education, Training and Employment Award: Langports
• Emerging and Micro Business Award: Happy Hounds Dog Walking and Pet Sitting
• Family Business Award: Dairy Free Down Under
• Retail, Wholesale and Distribution Award: Gr8 Health
• Manufacturing Award: VAC Truck Industries
• Construction and Trades Award: Stratum Civil
• Professions and Services Award: TCLH
• IT and Digital Business Award: Mad Panda Media
• Tourism, Hospitality and Events Award: Burleigh Beach Tourist Park

The awards, now in their 29th year, aim to foster pride in the city’s business community and highlight its important as a business hub. Some of the city’s best-known companies can claim to have been winners.

The awards’ major sponsors include Village Roadshow, Neumann Steel, Neumann Contractors, Currumbin Minerals, Australian Retirement Trust, Experience Gold Coast, City of Gold Coast, Coraggio, Westpac, Harvey Norman Commercial Queensland, Optus Business Centre Gold Coast, Griffith University, Gold Coast Airport, Dreamweavers, and Southern Cross Austereo. The awards’ media sponsors include the Gold Coast Bulletin, 92.5 MMM and SeaFM 90.9.

The GCBEA’s major supporters include KPMG, Document Solutions Australia, Bloomtools, Consulting Hall and The Graphic Design Company.