by Sue Kiff .. Ashleys Aunt / No Medical Qualifications except life!

Please don't EVER think "It'll never happen to me"! It can, and it does! Its easy to bury your head in the sand, particularly when you are young, and think you are invincable!!! But the fact is that burns that occur when you are UNDER 18 are more likely to 'turn' deadly later...Just when you least expect it...so here are a couple of suggestions on how to prevent a skin cancer

Bear in mind that ANY colour you weren't born with is skin damage...I know its nice to have a nice brown tan...I baked myself silly for most of my life...Being a Brit I felt an obligation to get a tan whenever the sun came out..You know the old saying about "mad dogs and Englishmen"?? Well that was me...The hotter the better!!!

This year (2002) I discovered a changing mole on my foot..I had been keeping an eye on this mole for afew months..as it seemed to be growing 'babies' on the top...My sister, Ashleys Mum, nagged me enough to go and get it cut off and biopsied, and what do you think? I became the families latest Cancer victim...!!!

The Melanoma on my ankle area was immediately treated by the NHS in England..A month ago, in December 2002, they cut out a two inch round chunk, and skin grafted a piece down from my thigh. ...

So far, I am one of the lucky ones...it appears to have been contained in the surrounding tissue.But I must do regular checks of my skin and lymph nodes...and also go back to the Doctor every three months or so for checks...

Because of Ashley, and her experince, we, her family have been more vigilant in self examination..My cancer was caught in the very early stages..I will still go out in the sun of course..we all need the vitamin D, but just by following afew simple precautions it could save your life..If you absolutely can't live without a tan, then get a bottle of instant tan..there are plenty of good brands that don't turn you orange these days...!

Although Melanoma is more common in pale skinned white older male adults...as you can see by this website..NO ONE is safe...A Melanoma can appear years after you have been burned..so children must be particularly protected as well...!

If you spend time in the sun, or even if you don't, it is wise to do regular self examinations..Look for irregular shaped moles...or sores that don't appear to be healing well...itching, bleeding, changes in pigment,a flat mole that raises up, or vice virsa, any thing that looks different from YOUR usual

I have found that many people get melanoma on the legs, but they can appear anywhere...Don't disregard a changing FRECKLE either, one person I know also had Melanoma in one..(Can't get much more harmless than a freckle, right? Wrong!)

Perhaps the very best answer is to listen to your intuition...

It was my intuition that had me checking that particuar mole in the first place..it was my sisters intuition that made her nag me to go to the Doctor..The mole looked innocent enough..I can't stress the importance of listening to yourself You could learn alot!!!

If you find something unusual, have it checked out by a Professional immediately

Melanoma, in its early stages can be cured with surgery, if left to metasasize into the lymph system, it is almost always fatal...eventually!

This isn't supposed to scare you, but it IS FACT!