Skin cancer: ‘I’ve seen the effects of skin cancer, and I am happy to be whiter than Casper if it means I get to live’

We may not have the hottest climate in the world, but we do have a high rate of skin cancer.

The Irish Cancer Society advises people to be aware of sun exposure from April to September because even if the sky is cloudy, the powerful effects of the sun can be far-reaching.

Last summer, Teddy Fogarty died of melanoma at the age of 42. He worked in construction and was regularly exposed to the elements, but he didn’t worry about keeping safe in the sun, despite having pale skin and red hair.

“My father was your stereotypical happy- go-lucky small-town man,” says his daughter Rebecca, who is 22.

“He was funny and brave, and while he wasn’t perfect, there wasn’t a day in my life when I wasn’t proud to be his daughter.”

“His symptoms began with a cold sore, which nobody expected to be serious. He was a construction labourer so he spent a lot of time in the sun. But he was never sun-safe and never wore sunscreen or hats, even though he had ginger hair.

And because he was strong, and a ‘man’s man’, he very rarely went to a doctor, so he ignored the problem for almost two years despite all of us encouraging him to visit the GP.”

During that time, the sore on his lip grew bigger and darker and eventually in 2011, his family took him to the doctor, who diagnosed melanoma on his face. This then spread to his lymph nodes.

Not cured

Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy seemed to work initially, but Teddy was not cured. He died peacefully in July 2014, surrounded by his family and holding his wife and his mother’s hands.

His family were devastated by his death, as they always believed he would survive. “A lot of my memories are blurred and I’m not entirely sure if this is due to denial,” says Rebecca. “But I can honestly say that until a week or two before he died, I believed that he could and would fight the disease.

“He underwent radiotherapy, chemotherapy and four procedures; his final operation lasted 12 hours.

“Radiotherapy made his skin sore and fragile, so when the cancer returned in 2014 he was told that radiotherapy was no longer an option as it would essentially ‘melt’ his scar tissue.

“Chemotherapy was the hardest part, as Dad was extremely ill. When his cancer was diagnosed as terminal in 2014, his doctors suggested three different types of chemo: he was desperate to live and chose not to undergo it. He had three months to live and he didn’t want to risk being bedridden.

Teddy’s family are keen to highlight the need for people to be sun smart in order to prevent anyone else having a similar fate. “Irish people do not take sun safety seriously enough,” says Rebecca.

“We were not built to survive in hot climates. We are are generally pale and fair and because this is not the mainstream idea of beauty, we have resorted to using sunbeds or getting sunburned in the hopes that it will turn to tan . . . I’ve seen the effects of skin cancer, and I can safely say I am happy to be whiter than Casper if it means I get to live.”

Melanoma 

How to stay safe Rosemary Scott, cancer prevention officer at the Irish Cancer Society, says there were almost 1,000 cases of melanoma in Ireland in 2012 and almost 10 times that number were diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer in the same year.

Not all skin cancers look the same and can be anything from a small flat lump, a red spot or firm lump, a tender lump or spot, an ulcer that doesn’t heal, rough scaly patches or a lump with a scaly top. A bleeding, oozing or crusting mole or one that has changed size, shape or colour should also be investigated.

While some people are more at risk than others, it is advisable to take extra care in the sun if you have:

Fair skin that freckles or burns easily; Ever had severe sunburn or blistering as a child; Been exposed to sunlight all your life, use tanning beds or sunbeds; A history of severe skin damage; A history or family history of skin cancer; A history of moles on your skin; Been exposed to certain chemicals such as coal tar, soot or petrol products; Had radiotherapy in the past; A weak immune system from taking certain medications; or A rare inherited condition such as albinism or xeroderma pigmentosa.

The sun-smart code

Seek shade when UV rays are strongest, generally between 11am and 3pm.

Cover up: wear a shirt with a collar and long shorts. Also wear a hat that gives shade to face, neck and ears.

Wear wraparound sunglasses with UV protection.

Use sunscreen with SPF 15 (SPF30 for children) or higher and UVA protection 20 minutes before going outside, and reapply it every two hours – more often if swimming or perspiring

Keep babies out of the sun

For more information tel: 1800 200 700 or see cancer.ie

Mole mapping: monitoring changes

Dr Patrick Ormond, a consultant dermatologist at St James’s Hospital in Dublin, says mole mapping is one way of monitoring changes in the skin

However, it must be done in conjunction with a full dermatological examination.

“Mole mapping is a method that uses photographic technology to take pictures of moles; they are kept on file in order to record changes or developments.

“Over the course of weeks, months or years, the data can be used to compare what, if anything, is happening to the skin or to pick up any new moles,” Ormond says.

“It can be helpful in diagnosing a melanoma, but must be used as an adjunct or add-on to a full examination.

“There is no evidence to show that it is a successful means of picking up abnormalities in the general public without the addition of a further examination, but it can be beneficial for high-risk patients, namely anyone with a large covering of moles, an abnormality on their skin or those with a strong family history,” according to the consultant.

“The best advice is for people to be aware of any suspicious pigmentation or changes to moles and if they have any concerns to go to their GP, who will refer them to a specialist,” says Ormond.