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A mother-of-three who was terrifyingly diagnosed with skin cancer has revealed the one mistake she made before discovering a suspicious mole on her back.
Amelia Liddy Sudburyfrom the Sunshine Coast, was changing in front of the mirror one morning in April this year when her daughter let out a cry of disgust.
The eight-year-old had spotted a prominent mole on Amelia’s back and immediately asked her mother about it.
Amelia, who admitted she hadn’t had a skin exam in three years, grabbed a hand mirror and held it behind her back to get a closer look.
What she saw immediately raised alarm bells.
“I live on the Sunshine Coast – I know what melanoma looks like,” she told FEMAIL.
“As soon as I saw my back I knew I had to see a skin cancer specialist. It definitely wasn’t a mole – it was just awful and fake.
A mother of three who was shock diagnosed with skin cancer has revealed her terrifying journey to recovery.
Having nearly died with her unborn baby when she contracted listeria in 2018 and barely surviving a bout with ulcerative colitis, Amelia (pictured) couldn’t believe her life was about to change so drastically again .
Having nearly died with her unborn baby when she contracted listeria in 2018 and barely surviving a bout of ulcerative colitis, Amelia couldn’t believe her life was about to change so drastically again.
“I was so exhausted and angry that I couldn’t take it anymore,” she said.
She made an appointment with the SunDoctors skin care clinic, which specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma.
“I thought I did everything right,” she said. “I covered up, wore a hat, soaped up in sunscreen – but I just hadn’t gotten a check in years.”
Amelia had not had a skin exam for nearly three years at the time and was terrified it could cost her life.
Amelia Liddy Sudbury, from Sunshine Coast, was changing in front of the mirror one morning when her daughter let out a cry of disgust.
Amelia said that after suffering from a chronic illness for more than 10 years, she felt like she was finally safe.
“It just goes to show that nothing is guaranteed. I was always one of those people who thought skin cancer wouldn’t happen to me,” she said.
“As Listeria, I thought I was safe because it only happened to other people. But after nearly losing my son and my own life, I wanted to live a few years without anything bad happening.
“I really went through hardships. I would sit and dream of the day when I would no longer be sick.
Amelia’s first appointment revealed that the melanoma was on her spine and that although it was treatable, the journey to perfect health would be difficult.
“It was amazing. The doctor took one look at my back and immediately knew he had to cut it,” the mum said.
“I was sent to an operating room and 15 minutes later they had the melanoma removed and I had stitches inside my spine,” Amelia said.
Amelia’s first appointment revealed that the melanoma was on her spine, and while it was treatable, the journey to pristine health would be difficult.
“I was sent to an operating room and 15 minutes later I had stitches inside my spine.
“We had results in 48 hours, but my whole family went through that time with their hearts in their mouths. It was a ticking time bomb.
“There were too many hospitals for all of us and we couldn’t do it anymore. I didn’t know what to do when they told us it was cancer.
Amelia was then sent for a second surgery so doctors could determine how deep the cancer cells had invaded.
“They cut me really deep and I had about ten stitches in my lower spine. Fortunately, it was only a melanoma in situ. So it hadn’t spread to other parts of my body yet.
Amelia still has minor mobility issues from years of chronic illness and her surgery, but she is on the mend.
The mother did not need chemotherapy, but now returns for a thorough skin exam every three months.
“Even though the melanoma wasn’t as bad as it could have been, I think I have chronic bad luck. My stitches burst a few days after I got back from the hospital and there was blood everywhere, my room looked like something out of a horror movie,” she said.
Amelia still has minor mobility issues from years of chronic illness and her surgery, but she is on the mend.
“The whole process – especially the operation – was extremely painful and stressful, but I didn’t want to scare anyone into not having regular check-ups, so I couldn’t admit it,” a- she declared.
“At first I was petrified by what it meant, but I’m much more careful about protecting myself from the sun and having regular dermatologist check-ups.
“My attitude really kept me from catching it earlier – but the pain was definitely worth it, and fear should never stop me from having a skin exam.”