Bethany Taskis

My hero is the amazing team I work with at Sun Patrol Skin Cancer Centre, Officer, who encouraged me to get a skin check.

Working here, I would see people walk through the doors every day and sometimes the doctors would find a nasty spot or two on their skin. I thought that couldn’t possibly happen to me; I was just a young mum with a desk job that hated the sun. I thought melanoma only affected the older generation or people who were always outside.

Growing up, my mother always followed me around with sunscreen in hand and I hated it, but I still developed freckles. And, having red hair and blue eyes, I was the trifecta.

Now I am 24 and have just had my second stage I malignant melanoma removed. Without a skin check I would never have found the melanomas. I am very grateful at how quickly they have been detected and removed, and I get my skin continuously monitored for any more.

I strongly urge anyone who hasn’t had a skin check to please go and have one, because now I am the mother following my children around with sunscreen!