Emma was diagnosed in 2020 with stage 2 melanoma after getting a mole on her arm checked that has been there for 15 years. This is her story.
If possible use family members to help with appointments, cooking and some housework. If they can stay at your house, use that time to do the things that fill your cup and recharge your energy. Socialising is very important.
I had been asking for someone to take notice of the mole on my arm for a few years. But as it wasn’t black I kept getting told that it was nothing to worry about. But I knew something wasn’t right and didn’t give up.
My sister was supportive from day one, as was one of my brothers. My other two brothers hardly reacted at all – as if it was just not happening, or happening to a complete stranger.
Jo cared for her mum, Ann, who passed away from melanoma in December 2020. Her mum had melanoma which had spread to her lung and her brain. As an only child, they shared a particularly strong bond.
The first melanoma diagnosis was a shock as I felt young and invincible. My skin doctor booked me in with a plastic surgeon for the following day, and I had a wide local excision with a skin graft.
