A mum from County Durham whose itchy mole on her back turned out to be skin cancer has opened up on how her story is helping others.
Gill Liiv-Rochester, 36, from Seaham began itching her back repeatedly unaware there was a mole there. Thankfully her daughter Emme, now 13, urged her mum to go to her doctors where she was later diagnosed with two malignant melanomas in April 2020 after a second mole was found on her shoulder.
And after sharing her story, the mum-of-two has been "overwhelmed" by the reaction with two people going to their GPs about suspicious moles. While most moles are non-cancerous, Gill has urged people to go to their doctor if they're concerned because time is "of the essence" with skin cancer.
Read more: Police release new CCTV images of missing Gateshead dad last seen on bus to Metrocentre
According to the NHS, the most common sign of melanoma is the appearance of a new mole or a change in an existing mole. The mole may also be larger than normal and can sometimes be itchy or bleed.
Gill said: "It just blew up. Lots of people were asking me about moles and a couple of them have been in touch with their GP over suspicious moles, I'm not medically trained so my advice is always to get checked out.
"One person I didn't even know said; 'Thank you I'm going to be checked over' and that's really all I ever wanted from all of this - to raise money and to raise awareness because the statistics for skin cancer are really quite scary. Skin cancer spreads so fast so the quicker you get a diagnosis, the better, time is really of the essence."
Gill is now hosting a fundraising event for the charity Melanoma-Me which raises awareness about skin cancer and provides support for patients and their families. But she said she has been blown away by the generosity of people donating prizes for raffles.
She said: "People have been so generous, I just can't believe it. The people of Seaham and local businesses and restaurants have donated some beautiful prizes so it's been really overwhelming for me.
"What started out as a little fun day has become this huge event. We have got two auctions for local artists, we've got 24 stalls, inflatables and lots, lots more. To be able to give something back while raising awareness at the same time is amazing.
"The charity is absolutely incredible, I had a little look round recently and they have wellbeing sessions and sessions for beauty therapists for things to look out for, they're just incredible."
The event will be held at Seaham Park Cricket Club on Sunday, June 26 where there will be raffles, auctions, and food stalls. Gill is currently looking for a caricature to attend the event so if you can help, you can contact Gill through her Facebook page. Find out more about Melanoma-Me here.
Read next:
