Watch for deadly signs of skin cancer

ORLA FELLENUS still enjoys sun holidays even after being treated for skin cancer.

The mother of two grown up sons from Rush, Co Dublin, will be flying out to Marbella soon.

What she has given up is toasting her body on the sunbed before baking it under the hot summer sun on the same day. She used to do that a lot when her children were small.

When Orla, 49, flies out to sunny Spain, she will be making sure to cover up as best she can and to put plenty of SPF 60 sunscreen on any exposed areas.

Her holidays will be spent walking in the mornings and sitting out of the sun in the afternoon when it is most dangerous.

“There’s no need for the sun. You can fake it. That’s what I do,” said Orla.

Just over two years ago Orla noticed a mole on her back which was getting bigger and blacker - it was the size of a five cent coin when it was removed.

It was the only mole she had and it was between her shoulder blades, which made it difficult to see when it was smaller.

About three years ago Orla became aware that the mole had grown but did not know that it might be skin cancer and that she should go to a doctor about it.

When she showed the mole to her GP in March 2001 she was referred to a consultant dermatologist who quickly removed it.

Orla was shocked when the consultant showed her a drawing of the mole, the sides of which had become very irregular.

The mole was removed and when it was diagnosed as being malignant melanoma a wider excision of the area to make sure that it had been completely removed. On the same day she had a CT scan to make sure it had not spread to her lymph nodes.

Orla was also referred to an oncologist but by that time she had received the results from her second incision and CT scan that showed she was in the clear.

Orla is now well aware that people should look out for new lumps or growths, a sore that does not heal or scaling red areas that bleed easily.

She also knows that people should also watch for changes in moles and that such changes may or may not be painful or itchy.

“People with any concerns should go to their GP, who will recognise the danger signs immediately,” she urged.