Gabi, Hungary

My Melanoma Story

I will never forget the day I was diagnosed in 2004. I was 25 years old, full of plans, surrounded by smart people, happy and content with everything I had. It was shocking to hear from my doctor 2 weeks after the operation to remove the small black mole: "There are some problems with the examined skin, it's a melanoma". I asked my dermatologist if I had skin cancer. I was devastated when she said YES. This is something I was not prepared for as a 25-year-old young adult.

I felt everything falling apart. I had to be prepared for several medical tests and checks, with the risk of spreading malignant cells around my body. My diagnosis was quite promising as all the data showed that the removal was done at an early stage. I had the worst 5 years of my life after the melanoma with dozens of appointments with doctors, worrying about dying too soon, never having a child and never having a full life. I had more than 10 operations after the melanoma for preventative reasons. I haven't been in the sun since 2004. Since then, my life has been about protecting my skin from April to September. I am lucky: the melanoma has not metastasised and only the scars from the operations remind me that I am someone who once had skin cancer.

But at the end of the day, melanoma has completely changed my life. I'm an enthusiast, educating people around me about sun safety and skin protection. I'm already a mum to two boys and I've been taking care of their skin since they were born to make sure they never get melanoma. I go to schools to talk to children about checking our skin. I never want to hear that one of my friends has skin cancer.

I remember my childhood summers. Playing by the river, in the middle of the day, 30 degrees, strong sun, we didn't hear about skin cancer then. Sun protection was not an issue in our lives. With my pale skin, I always got terrible sunburns. If only we had known that it's important to stay indoors at midday! Now I know that the skin never forgets a sunburn, it remembers it and it has long-term effects, such as melanoma.

Protect your skin, and check it regularly, whatever your skin type. Early detection saves lives!