Jacqui Padden's story is a stark reminder that melanoma can affect anyone, regardless of their lifestyle or age. The Lancashire mother-of-two was just 54 when she was diagnosed with skin cancer after noticing a mole on her ankle had changed colour and started bleeding. Her diagnosis came as a shock, particularly as the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes - a development she describes as 'terrifying'.
But Jacqui's experience highlights that skin cancer can strike even those who don't actively sunbathe or use sunbeds. After surgery, she developed lymphoedema, a chronic condition causing tissue swelling. Despite these challenges, she is now determined to live life to the full and share her story to encourage others to get any changes to their skin checked promptly. She is teaming up with Cancer Research UK to raise awareness about sun safety.
Jacqui's advice is simple: make sun protection 'second nature'. For her, this means ensuring she's covered up, seeking shade during the middle of the day, and always having a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen readily available. She also suggests checking the ultraviolet (UV) index on your smartphone - if it reaches three (moderate), it's time to think about sun safety.
Official guidance from organisations like Cancer Research UK reinforces these practical steps. Seeking shade between 11:00 BST and 15:00 is crucial, whether that's under a tree, umbrella, canopy or indoors. Wearing appropriate clothing, including a wide-brimmed hat and UV protection sunglasses, offers better protection - the more skin covered up, the safer you are. And don't forget to apply sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and 4 or 5 stars, reapplying it generously and regularly, especially after swimming, sweating or towelling.
Claire Knight from Cancer Research UK stresses that combining all three steps - shade, clothing, and sunscreen - is key, even on cooler or cloudy days. The NHS warns that most skin cancers are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun and sunbeds. Alarmingly, over 16,700 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed in the UK each year, making it the fifth most common cancer. But early detection significantly improves prognosis - around 86% of people diagnosed with melanoma survive their disease for five years or more, although this figure drops if the cancer has spread.
The implications for patients and the NHS are clear: increased public awareness of sun safety and early symptom recognition could lead to earlier diagnoses, potentially reducing the need for complex and invasive treatments. This could alleviate pressure on NHS services and improve outcomes for melanoma patients nationwide.