May is Melanoma Awareness Month – It’s NOT just Skin Cancer

It’s May – Melanoma Awareness Month – the sun is shining and the warm long days have returned to the UK. As I began writing my blog to raise awareness of melanoma, this month I’ll revisit the signs and symptoms of melanoma so that hopefully you don’t find yourself in my situation in years to come. First of all on a positive note, I was back at Marsden HQ on Monday and had good news that my latest scans are good and the Dab/Tram continues to work 18 months on. I was over the moon and Mr. H and I headed off to the Ivy Café Chelsea which is currently in bloom for the Chelsea Flower Show for a slap up breakfast to celebrate.

On June 16, I will have my 3 year cancerversary. I was originally diagnosed with melanoma after a dodgy mole was removed from my back. It was displaying all of the signs of melanoma as it had grown, become darker and just before it was removed had started to bleed. It was thick – 4.5mm, ulcerated and after a WLE (wide local excision) had spread to my lymph nodes by Jan 2017. I had a full axillary dissection to remove about 20 of my lymph nodes in February but by the end of March 2017 a scan showed the melanoma turned up with a small tumour in my brain. I started immunotherapy (IPI/Nivo) before experiencing grade 4 adverse side effects causing autoimmune hepatitis and it took 3 weeks at Marsden HQ being treated with steroids and mycophenolate followed by 6 months being weaned off the medication to get it under control. Fortunately, I responded to the immunotherapy but after 6 months in Dec 2017 I had a recurrence in the brain when a new small tumour was detected. Since then I have been on my current targeted drug treatment of Debrafenib and Trametinib which has reduced the size of my tumour and kept the rest of my body clear.

Cancer has invaded and changed my life forever and whilst I have taken the positives – it has focused me on living life in the present appreciating the family and friends that I love very much and treasuring my time with them, there is no denying that its still a fairly shit diagnosis and I sometimes wake up in the morning thinking I am living a bad nightmare. Saying that I feel fortunate that treatments for advanced melanoma have improved so much in the last 5 years or the likelihood is that I wouldn’t still be here and I am treated by one of the best Melanoma Oncologists and his team at the wonderful Royal Marsden Hospital.

However the reality is that Melanoma is the 5^th most common cancer in the UK and 16,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, though 86% of cases are preventable. In the UK the risk of melanoma increases with age however the number of young people is disproportionately high as it is one of the most common cancers in the 15-34 age group. For more information I recommend Melanoma UK https://www.melanomauk.org.uk/

I was a child of the 70’s/80’s when getting tanned was all the rage and I spent many summer holidays in the South of France baking myself in the sun wearing factor 3 sun cream. I then spent a year of university studying at Aix en Provence before a couple of summers strolling up and down the beaches of the South of France selling ice creams. After university I headed out to Beijing and Hong Kong for 7 years working and travelling round the region. I know that I could have taken better care of my fair Scottish skin. I never used sun beds and in more recent years, before being diagnosed with melanoma, I was much more sun aware and always protected my skin. I can only say that I wish I knew 20 years ago what I know now about protecting your skin.

On the recent Easter holiday David and I travelled down to Devon and we were blessed with lovely warm sunny weather. This was the first warm weekend of the year and in typical fashion the Brits had their clothes off and were basking in the sun, some of them looked very burnt. I often wonder what is it about the Brits that means the first sign of the sun means they strip off their clothes. In the recent February heatwave, I was walking up the street in SW London only to see a few men with their tops off walking down the street (lets say they were not David Beckham lookalikes ). In Paris or Rome you would never see men strolling down the high street with their tops off in February or even in July for that matter. There is still so much more to be done to raise awareness of safety in the sun and changing attitudes towards the “a tan is healthy myth”. If you want a safe tan then fake it.

In addition, please watch out for any changes to moles or blemishes on your skin and follow the ABCDE rules going to see your GP if you have any concerns. Always better to be safe than sorry. https://www.melanomauk.org.uk/signs-and-symptoms

I also recommend Heliocare sunscreen factor 50 for your face. It is like a gel is slightly tinted and there is no stinging of the eyes. I wear this every day rain or shine winter or summer and I love it. https://www.heliocare.net/eng/heliocare-products.html

This month, I have been feeling well and it has been lovely seeing and catching up with lots of friends and family. First there was a trip to Chamonix for Johnny’s birthday and a bit of late spring skiing, Easter in Devon catching up with the Smiths and doing some walking training. Then my gorgeous sister in law turned 40 and we had a lovely weekend celebrating with her before heading to Scotland last weekend to see family there, do some hiking and Dave played in the Brian Oates memorial golf day raising money for Crohns disease. I have loved and treasured every minute.

 

 

The Shomelanoma Fundraising has also kicked up a gear this month. First of all to the gorgeous superstar Will Baldock aged just 6 took part in a 10 mile hilly bike ride in St Albans to raise funds for melanoma research. He did a fabulous job helped on by his parents Jo and Steve Baldock and a few snacks to help him climb those hills. Well done Will and a massive thank you for your amazing support.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/joanne-baldock5

Next up young Alfie Ranstead is doing a 50 km bike ride along the Ridgeway in Wiltshire on May 27 accompanied by his brothers Tom and Will. Alfie is 14 and has never cycled this far before in his life so it will be quite a challenge but he said “If Shiona can stay so positive with stage 4 melanoma and raise all this money for others [melanoma research] I can manage my bike ride.” We are wishing Alfie massive good luck for this weekend and a HUGE thank you for all of your support.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/alfie-ranstead

Also this weekend my gorgeous school friend Jacqueline Varty is undertaking the Edinburgh half marathon to raise further funds. Wishing her massive good luck and looking forward to seeing all the photos. Huge thank you and read more about her efforts here.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jacqueline-varty1

The Shomelanoma team is currently training for the next big challenge The Welsh 3000s which is coming up at the end of July. It looks TOUGH 15 mountains over 3000 feet in just over 48 hours with some scrambling…….. More to come on this one next month.

We also have a big team signed up for the Royal Parks half marathon in October. This is the one Dave is attempting to run in under 2 hours. His park run training is commencing soon plus mentor guidance from his cousin Matt who will also be running. If you would like to join us please let me know we’ll be having a party after this one!

We have now exceeded the £40k mark with all the fundraising which is amazing news and we hope to push this up to £50k over the coming months. A BIG thank you to everyone for all of your continued support it is making a massive difference and the Shomelanoma fundraising for the Royal Marsden has helped keep me focused over the last 2 years plus of course give back to the wonderful hospital that is currently keeping me and other cancer patients alive. On that note back with more next month and stay sun safe peeps factor 50 at all times.