It changed my life

In 2007, Jay was working hard in his job as a truck driver, had a beautiful family and had just finished renovating his house. “Life was going good, you could say.”

But that was about to change. “I had this mole on my ankle that had been there my whole life, but then it began to get itchy, scab up every now and then and bleed. I thought nothing of it – I just thought it was from my work boots rubbing against the skin.” But his wife, Janine, insisted he get it checked out. And so in December 2007 he finally went to the doctor. The doctor took one look at it and said, “That’s got to come out.”

A few days later, Jay received news that the mole was a 1.95mm deep melanoma. “Our thoughts were, okay, it’s not good news but we will be right, I’ll get it cut out and get on with it. I had no idea what I was in for or just how serious melanoma is.”

Fast forward a couple of months and this melanoma had become life-threatening after spreading to one lymph node in Jay’s groin. “I was diagnosed with stage III melanoma. A melanoma only needs to get 1 mm deep and can get into your blood stream or lymphatic system and spread to other parts of your body. I had no idea a mole on your body could turn into something so deadly. “

Jay had two major operations, a bout of chemotherapy and now has to have check-ups every 3 months, which include chest x-rays and blood tests, for 5 years.

Before his diagnosis Jay was a frequent indoor tanning user. “My surgeon was adamant that this contributed to my disease so I have been advocating since December 2008 to increase public knowledge of the inherent risks associated with sun-bed use.”

Melanoma changed Jay’s life. He no longer drives trucks. His close call with melanoma ignited a passion to spread awareness of the disease and to help others in the same situation. He now facilitates melanoma support groups throughout NSW and works for Melanoma Institute Australia, spreading the awareness message to the broader community.

“My diagnosis was a bad thing, but it was also a good thing because we can save lives,” Jay said. “Maybe it happened for a reason.”

“If there is one message I can give it would be to check your skin regularly. If you find anything on your skin that doesn’t look right, get your skin checked by your doctor. Melanoma is not always just a bit of skin cancer that gets cut out, it can be quite invasive and can kill you.”

• As community co-ordinator for Melanoma Institute Australia, Jay speaks to community groups about how to raise awareness and support the Institute via community events. If you would like to know more, JLIB_HTML_CLOAKING
• Jay holds regular support groups for melanoma patients, their families and friends. Find out more about support groups.
• Check your skin regularly, and see your GP or dermatologist if you have any concerns. Knowing what to look for could save your life. Find out more about checking your skin.