Melanoma and prostate cancer champion
Sadly David has passed away, and we honour his wish to continue to tell his story in the hope of helping as many other people as possible find cancer early. Thank you David, your participation, contributions and support are greatly appreciated and will be remembered.
Just go to the doctor. Don’t be frightened. It’s easier to have surgery when it’s little.
David’s story
Former cereal and sheep farmer David noticed two ‘funny looking’ spots on the back of his legs. Being a red-head who had always worked outdoors, he knew he was a ‘prime candidate’ for skin cancer. Both David and his wife were suspicious of these spots and because he had always thought it was best to talk to his doctor early on, David made it a priority to get checked out. Unfortunately, the skin spots were melanomas and had to be removed.
Knowing melanoma can appear in areas which don’t receive direct sunlight; David and his wife kept an eye on all areas and identified one on his inner thigh and another two on his lower back. Fortunately they became good at looking for unusual changes to existing spots or new ones. As years went on, more funny looking spots on his temple and his cheek appeared.
Having now had four melanomas and prostate cancer, David has learned it’s much simpler and cheaper to have a cancer cut out when it’s small.
David’s advice
‘If you’re suspicious of anything, just go to the doctor’.
‘It doesn’t take much to go to the doctor’.
‘Make sure you get to the doctor, whether you like it or not.’
Checking your own skin
Skin cancers can grow quickly, so it’s important to become familiar with your own skin (including skin not normally exposed to the sun) through regular self-checks. Find out the steps and some examples of what to look for.
Consult a doctor as soon as possible if you notice any new or changed spots, moles or freckles. Changes to look out for include shape, colour or size.
