I first noticed a change in a mole on the inside of my thigh in Oct 2006 when it grew, became red and itchy. Doing the right thing I had it checked with a doctor only to be told its probably only irritated because your thighs are rubbingtogether, if its still there in 6 months come back.

  Lucky for me I was seeing my own doctor 4 months later when I asked him to look at it. Well within 1 day he had excised it and a few days later I got that awful call to tell me it was a nodular melanoma and series. I fell to pieces initially. It was breslow thickness 1.7mm, clark level IV.

After having a wider excision done the sentinel node was found to have 2 metastatic cells. The shock and fear was enormous, I underwent a Ingurinal node dissection, lucky for me no more traces were found in the lymph nodes that were removed. During this op I sustained damage to my femoral nerve, which 18 months later is still healing, but hey I didn't care because there was no more cancer.

But through all this I was determined to fight, this hideous disease will not beat me. I am lucky to have some wonderful surgeons and doctors looking after me, and the love of my family, which just makes me more determined to win.So far 2 body scans have failed to find any changes and with luck this will continue.

My message, please do not ignore any changes to moles or freckles, insist a doctor cuts them out, or ask for a second opinion, its better to be safe than sorry, and above all else take care when out in the sun.

By Kerry Evans