From our guest blogger Kerrie Flanagan – posted August 1st 2016:

How my melanoma journey began:

My melanoma story started when I was 32.

I was ten when my Grandfather passed away from melanoma.

My brother has also had melanoma removed so I knew I had to be vigilant.

I had been having six monthly skin checks for years when my husband told me that one of the moles on my upper back had started to turn black. The mole had always been there. The doctor decided to remove it, as it was on my back and hard for me to monitor. I have had many moles removed so I wasn’t too worried and went about my day as usual. Though when the doctor called the next day to say I had malignant melanoma everything changed.

A procedure was done a week later to make sure all of the cancer was removed.

The scar is 7-8cm long and has healed well and I now have three monthly skin checks. I have to check under my arms and neck regularly as melanoma can return. I also have photographs of my moles taken each month to monitor changes.

Melanoma is very scary and when you’re young and healthy, it’s the last thing you think you will have to deal with. It is not ‘just’ skin cancer!