Mum's warning after itchy back turned out to be skin cancer
18.04.2022 - 15:03
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A mum was shocked to discover that an itchy mole on her back turned out to be skin cancer. She’s now urging others to get checked out.
Gill Liiv-Rochester, from County Durham, kept scratching her back but was unaware there was a mole there. Luckily her daughter Emme, now 13, suggested that Gill should see a doctor.
At first the 36-year-old didn’t think it was anything serious, but was later diagnosed with two malignant melanomas in April 2020 after a second mole was found on her shoulder, Chronicle Live reports. Now the mum-of-two is hosting a fundraising event for the charity Melanoma-Me, which raises awareness about skin cancer and provides support for patients and their families.
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Gill also wants to raise awareness of skin cancer and is urging others to get checked out if they're worried. She explained: "I had a mole but I didn't realise it was there as it was on my lower back. My daughter said to me: 'Mam you keep scratching your back what's the matter?' She said maybe I should get it checked out."
"Looking back now I didn't realise how exhausted I was and my skin was really dry. I thought it would be nothing or something very minor. When I went to the doctors, they asked how long I had had the mole on my shoulder but I had no idea I had one there.
"It all happened really fast. I saw the GP in the middle of the week and by Monday I was being operated on.
"I was told malignant melanomas are the most severe and aggressive form and by six to eight weeks it would spread to my organs - I never realised it was that serious. Thankfully it was stage one."
Gill now wants to raise awareness about the dangers of skin cancer and said she believes people