Melanoma Support Ireland Information Page

Aislings story
On a company retreat, a colleague noticed a large and strange mole on Aisling’s back. Aisling had never checked her skin before for signs of melanoma and did not know the risks.

“I have pale skin with lots of moles but wasn’t aware of skin cancer or the importance of checking my skin regularly. As a child I didn’t have sun cream put on me as back then, we just did not know about the dangers.”

When Aisling’s GP saw the mole, he thought it looked suspicious and referred her to a consultant dermatologist.

“When the consultant told me I had melanoma I asked him, ‘“Is that serious?’” She had no idea that melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer, can spread incredibly fast and claims over 150 Irish lives each year. She adds, “After I realised how serious it was, I felt sick to my stomach. My world fell apart. I couldn’t believe that I had the dreaded “C” word…”

The hardest part about Aisling’s melanoma diagnosis is that she was pregnant at the time and had to wait months to find out if the cancer had spread.

She says “I cried every time I looked at my daughter because I was so scared that I would not see her grow up. I was also petrified for my son, who had not even been born yet.”

Sixth months later she gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and immediately had a wide local excision to remove the mole and the surrounding tissue to make sure that all affected cells were gone. Thankfully, Aisling’s melanoma had not spread to other parts of her body, and she now happily raises two beautiful children.

Aisling supports The Marie Keating Foundation in reminding Irish people to look after their skin by being SunSmart. She hopes that people will check their skin regularly to look for the ABCDE signs of melanoma.

Click the link to read Aisling’s full story.

https://surviveandthrive.ie/cancer-stories/aisling-moore/

Learn the ABCDE signs of
https://mariekeating.ie/cancer-information/skincancer/melanoma/

Skin Cancer Awareness Month: New Information Video This May marks Skin Cancer Awareness Month and the ISF have launched a new information video resource for people affected by skin cancer.

“In the study, the team analysed a group of 63 women who had been diagnosed with melanoma before the age of 30. They discovered that 61% of the women involved used tanning beds.”

They may help you tan and can even heal skin conditions like acne and psoriasis, but at what cost?

Mike was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in 2020. As part of he has been sharing his personal experience of melanoma to help us raise awareness.

"I remember getting sunburned as a child, particularly in the summer of 1976 when we had a heatwave. We didn't wear sunscreen in those days and we didn't understand how dangerous a sunburn could be.

“I'm convinced that my melanoma, which was diagnosed when I was 51, was caused by burning in childhood. We need to take skin protection far more seriously, particularly for children."

Of the over 2,000 people surveyed for Melanoma Focus who said they burned in their
childhood, 65% of those in Scotland said they burned badly (resulting in blisters) at least
once.

Thank you, Mike for helping us raise vital awareness this May! 💙 💛

Read more: https://buff.ly/3wCfLGK

Melanoma is a cancer that is younger people are particularly prone to it yes it is true some skin cancers appear more frequently on the face and neck of elderly patients such as Squamous or Basal Cell carcinoma however those types of skin cancers are not generally fatal because they do not spread to the organs like melanoma can

There is a common misconception that melanoma skin cancer only occurs in older people who have been exposed to sun throughout their life. This is false.❌

In contrast to most cancer types, melanoma occurs relatively frequently at younger ages, from 15 upwards. We need to ensure that young people know how to spot the signs of melanoma skin cancer.

Learn more about the signs of melanoma skin cancer 👉 https://buff.ly/3wnmzEt

Great opportunity to get kids thinking about being

🚨COMPETITION 🚨The Get Art Competition is back for the third year! Open to all pre-school and primary school children, with a chance of winning OPW - Office of Public Works family heritage card, Dublin Zoo family day pass, AND a National Book token worth €20!
See https://bit.ly/4aHZ9f4 for details.
Deadline: 5pm Friday, 31st May

Today marks a crucial day in our calendar - Melanoma Monday - a day dedicated not just to awareness, but to action. CHECK YOUR SKIN - MAKE IT A HABIT.

Melanoma might not be the most common type of skin cancer, but it certainly is the most aggressive. It has a notorious reputation for invading nearby tissues and spreading to other body parts when left unchecked. This Melanoma Monday, take a moment to examine your skin. Early detection can save lives.

Remember, it's not just about checking your skin today but making it a part of your regular routine. By staying vigilant, we can catch melanoma in its early stages, significantly increasing our chances of beating it.

Want to learn more about how you can protect yourself and your loved ones? Visit aimatmelanoma.org and arm yourself with knowledge because, in this fight, awareness is our best defense.

Katie, aged 25 from Belfast was diagnosed with melanoma in 2022. As part of she has been sharing her story to help us raise vital awareness.

"I started using sunbeds when I was 16. I used them before going on holiday because I liked getting a 'base-tan' and it became a bit of a habit. I was probably using them twice a week before I was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer.”

"I noticed a new mole on my face in 2022 so asked my GP about it, they referred me to a dermatologist and I ended up having it removed. I didn't think it was anything serious but a few weeks after the operation I was called in and told that I had melanoma. I don't remember much of the conversation but it was terrifying. I ended up having further surgery and then found out the cancer spread to my lymph nodes and I'm still having treatment now."

"Tanning salons are everywhere in Belfast, it's quite scary when you think how dangerous they are."

Thank you for helping us raise vital awareness, Katie! 💙💛

🚨 Belfast has been named the ‘sunbed capital of the UK’ after data shows 37% of adults in the city use sunbeds. Read more, here: https://buff.ly/3y3ngqy

Today marks the start of !🌞

Did you know that more than 5 sunburns in your life DOUBLES your risk of melanoma skin cancer?🤯

Whether at home or away we advise you to follow our top sun safety tips to ensure that you and your loved ones are protected. 🧴 🕶️ 👒 ⛱️ 👕

86% of melanoma skin cancer cases are preventable!

Learn more 👉 https://buff.ly/3bbr9yL

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland with over 11,000 cases diagnosed each year. The number of people being diagnosed with skin cancer in Ireland is rising rapidly.

Protect yourself and your family by being SunSmart especially from April to September, even when it’s cloudy.

Follow the 5 S’s:
👕Slip on clothing that covers the skin
🧴Slop on sunscreen (SPF 30+ for adults, 50+ for children)
👒Slap on a wide-brimmed hat
⛱️Seek shade
😎Slide on sunglasses

🚨COMPETITION 🚨The Get Art Competition is back for the third year! Open to all pre-school and primary school children, with a chance of winning OPW - Office of Public Works family heritage card, Dublin Zoo family day pass, AND a National Book token worth €20!
See https://bit.ly/4aHZ9f4 for details.
Deadline: 5pm Friday, 31st May

Prof James Larkin of the Royal Marsden London gives a lecture on the benefits Immunotherapy has brought to the field of cancer treatment

Immunotherapy: Cure for Metastatic Cancers? Immunotherapy has brought new hope for curing common cancers that have spread (metastatic) – once regarded as impossible. Over the last 10 years, immune checkpoint inhibitors – drugs that allow the immune system to identify and destroy previously unrecognised cancer cells – have been successfu...

Great Advice from Melanoma Institute Australia 🧴

Sunscreen prevents skin cancer and premature ageing — but are you doing it right? For decades, we've known sunscreen dramatically lowers a person's risk of developing skin cancer, with some of the first evidence coming from (aptly) the Sunshine State. This is how it works.

Two friends on a personal mission to cure cancer – podcast When professors Georgina Long and Richard Scolyer accepted their award for Australians of the Year, they had a very personal message. Their pioneering work has dramatically increased survival rates for melanoma – but they are also fighting to save Scolyer’s life

We tend to associate winter with low UV levels and no requirement for sun protection. However, ask any dermatologist if they recommend daily use of sunscreen, all-year-round - and their answer will be yes!

Whilst UVB levels may be lower in the UK during winter, UVA levels remain relatively consistent throughout each season and during daylight hours each day. Therefore, daily use of sunscreen with UVA protection will not only help protect your skin from the damaging effects of UV radiation, it will also help to prevent around 80% of the visible signs of premature ageing.

ENJOY WINTER SPORTS AND THINKING OF JETTING OFF TO THE SLOPES THIS WINTER? - BE WARNED!

Winter sports enthusiasts are at a particularly high risk of sun damage to both their skin and eyes. UV rays can be just as damaging on the ski slopes as they are on a hot, sunny beach! This is because UV radiation increases by approximately 10% with every 1,000m in altitude AND snow and ice significantly reflects up to 80% of UVB!

If you enjoy winter sports make sure you pay special attention to protecting exposed skin with an SPF 30+ sunscreen with 4 or 5 star UVA protection and wear high quality eye protection that carries either an EPF (Eye Protection Factor) of 9 or 10, or is labelled CE UV400 or above.

- every month is

Please, Kim Kardashian, Don't Try to Normalize Tanning Beds Just because she has one in her office doesn't mean they're safe now.

Fantastic news for patients in West North/West of Ireland

This week we opened the new state-of-the-art Saolta Radiation Oncology Centre at University Hospital Galway. Equipped to the highest standard, it "has been designed not just for today’s needs but also for future needs,” according to Dr Cormac Small, Consultant Radiation Oncologist.

The newly built 8,000sqm radiotherapy unit will allow for an increase in capacity for radiotherapy treatments and the new technology will significantly increase the ability to accurately target and treat tumours.

Read more: https://bit.ly/46uyVdm

Register now open

📣 Registration for the Melanoma Patient Conference 2024 is now OPEN!!

Melanoma Focus host and support the annual Melanoma Patient Conference, a safe space for patients and carers to interact and network while hearing about the latest advances in melanoma medicine. This supportive environment aims to empower patients to take an active role in their care. 💙

This event will be held at the Voco St Johns Hotel Solihull, Birmingham on the 29th Feb-1st March 2024.

Register today👉https://buff.ly/3BUBU2l

Today is . 🙆‍♂️

1 in 36 men will be diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in their lifetime. Yet our survey highlighted that only 22% of UK males are confident that they can identify the signs of melanoma skin cancer. 🔎

The most commonly affected area of melanoma for males is the trunk. Lets encourage the men in our lives to check their skin, today & always!💙

Download our skin check leaflet today 👉 https://buff.ly/3N6K3nZ

Sadly, way too many lives have been lost to sunbed use. They are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a Group 1 carcinogen - this is its highest cancer risk category. Furthermore, a review by IARC found that first exposure to sunbeds before the age of 35 years increases the risk of melanoma by an alarming 75 per cent and if used before the age of 30 the risk is further increased.

Fake it, don’t bake it - NO TAN IS WORTH DYING FOR.

- every month is

Know the facts. Most melanomas are caused by prolonged and repeated exposure to UV radiation in sunlight.

melanomapatients.org.au/about-melanoma

Amazing Lady we wish her all the best for the future

NI mum warns people to look after skin after getting cancer diagnosis four times “My advice is, look after your skin and if in doubt, get it checked out without delay.”

Bantry Credit Union Bantry Credit Union is an organisation of people - for people.

Cancer caregivers or those work in the area/are a member of an organisation or group which support cancer caregivers 📣📣

We would like you to take part in our next workshop on Friday October 13th over Zoom! For more information please email [email protected]

Get anything suspicious checked ASAP to improve outcomes

Radio DJ Chris Evans reveals he has been diagnosed with skin cancer Rolling coverage of the international stories of interest to our readers

Great initiative well done Baldoyle Community Hall 👏