I was given nightmare diagnosis after ignoring 'birthmark' I'd had since my teens

I was given nightmare diagnosis after ignoring 'birthmark' I'd had since my teens Sarah believes her years of jetting off abroad to get a tan caused the disease A mum who originally dismissed what she thought was a birthmark on her neck was diagnosed with skin cancer. Sarah Goldup had the marking since she was a teenager and tried to ignore it. But when it started to change shape and colour, she got it checked out - and was told she had cancer. She also believes her "era" of jetting off on girls' holidays with the goal of getting a tan is the reason she developed skin cancer. Sarah says trips to places like Tenerife in her teens and 20s contributed to a diagnosis of stage three melanoma. The now 42-year-old, from Farnham in Surrey, started going abroad with her friends 20 years ago. She says she used oil instead of sunscreen which, combined with her Irish background, meant she would get burnt. Sarah, a freelance copywriter, said: “I was never a sunbed user but that was the era of girls’ holidays when it was all about flying off to the sun and getting a tan. One time, when I was 19, we went to Tenerife. “Some of my friends had darker skin but I’m from an Irish background and I used oil instead of sunscreen, so I got really burnt. I was diagnosed with melanoma when I was 38, so I’m pretty sure the damage happened then but only started to emerge years later.” She recalled how she tried to ignore the birthmark on her neck for years until eventually getting it checked. Sarah said: “During that time, I told myself it was nothing to worry about. “But then I got a call asking me to go into the surgery and was told it was malignant melanoma. It was both shocking and upsetting." Sarah underwent two surgeries to remove the cancer – one on her neck and another for a second melanoma found on her chest - and was given the all clear. In August, Sarah began a year of immunotherapy treatment - a precautionary measure to stop the cancer returning. However, in November 2024 she discovered a raised lymph node on her neck, on the same side where the melanoma had been. Sarah had a needle biopsy and the results came back confirming a further recurrence of melanoma. She underwent more surgery to remove 35 lymph nodes, 25 of which were cancerous, with her cancer now at stage three. In April 2025, she started a three-month combination of immunotherapy drugs. She is now on four-weekly maintenance treatment until April 2027, and her scans have been clear. She said: "I’m doing everything I can – I eat well, I exercise every day, I cover up in the sun and I use factor 50 sunscreen every day, even in the winter." Sarah is married to her husband Lee and they have two boys, Lucien, 10 and Rafferty, seven. She is very vigilant about protecting their skin. She said: “I make them wear sunscreen and hats – they don’t particularly like it, but it’s so important. It’s not just lighter-skinned people who get skin cancer – darker skins can get it too. “And you don’t have to go on a plane to get it – the sun here can also damage your skin. My melanoma diagnosis was a shock, not least because after treatment, it came back. “Protecting your skin is really important and it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on sunny days." She added: “It could have been a different story for me, but thanks to advances in research and treatment, I’m still here and looking forward to enjoying more summers with my family and friends.” According to statistics from Cancer Research UK, melanoma skin cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, accounting for almost 20,000 new cancer cases. It is also the 19th most common cause of cancer death, accounting for two per cent of all UK cancer deaths. Symptoms A new mole or a change in an existing mole is a potential sign of melanoma. As per the NHS, you should look for: - Asymmetrical - is your mole an uneven shape? - Border - is the edge ragged? - Colours - is your mole different colours? - Diameter - is it bigger than 6 millimetres? - Evolving - has it changed size, shape or colour? Other signs to look out for include moles that are swollen and sore, bleeding, itchy, or crusty. The NHS says you should see a GP if: - You have a mole that's changed size, shape or colour - You have a mole that's painful or itchy - You have a mole that's inflamed, bleeding or crusty - You have a new or unusual mark on your skin that has not gone away after a few weeks - You have a dark area under a nail that has not been caused by an injury How to lower your risk Staying safe in the sun is the best way to lower your chance of getting skin cancer (both melanoma and non-melanoma). Therefore, the NHS recommends that you should: - Stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day (11am to 3pm in the UK) - Keep your arms and legs covered and wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses that provide protection against ultraviolet (UV) rays - Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 and at least 4-star UVA protection – make sure you reapply it regularly - Make sure babies and children are protected from the sun – their skin is much more sensitive than adult skin Claire Knight, senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, added: “Sunburn is a clear sign of skin damage but, even if you’ve been sunburnt before, it’s never too late to start protecting your skin. So, we’re grateful to Sarah for supporting our campaign with NIVEA Sun. “Whether you’re enjoying being outside at home or abroad, when the sun is strong: seek shade, cover up - especially your shoulders - and wear sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and four or five stars. Make sure you put plenty on and reapply it regularly. “It’s important to use all three steps together, even on cloudy or cool days, because sunburn doesn’t only happen when it’s hot. The sun can be strong enough in Surrey and anywhere across the UK, to burn between mid-March and mid-October.”