I will continue to be vigilant and always SunSmart and encourage the people around me to do the same!
Annabel
Seventy-three-year-old Annabel has been an “outdoorsy” person all her life. Now the British/New Zealander wants to share the story of her skin cancer diagnosis and journey, in the hope that it will inspire others to be safe in the sun and to get any unusual symptoms checked. Annabel is on a mission: to educate others, including her nearest and dearest, about the importance of being SunSmart.
Annabel lives in Nelson and has been a keen gardener since her 30s. She also likes to walk and generally spend time out of doors. She was born in East Africa and her red hair and fair skin meant she was at particular risk from the harsh sun. Now Annabel has had an early-stage melanoma removed from her leg - most probably due to the amount of time she spent unprotected from the sun in her youth.
“Over the past few years, I have become super vigilant about sun damage given my early years growing up in Africa. Like many women of my age, when we moved to New Zealand, I spent many hours sunbathing, laced with oil, and with little regard for any potential damage in the future,” explains Annabel. Now she realises how foolish she was.
From her 40s onwards Annabel has had several Basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) removed. The frequency increased in her 60s, and she began to have a skin check once a year at the start of summer.
“While BCCs and the odd SCC have become the norm for me, in November 2024 my skin specialist noticed one spot on my leg which he felt was more serious. He suggested we have a sample biopsied along with several other spots on my neck and shoulders.”
The results came back as Annabel’s skin specialist suspected. There were signs of melanoma, but fortunately, they had caught it early and removed a further 5mm around the site.
“My friends, whānau and I found this whole experience disturbing. While my family is aware that I have had treatment for BCCs and SCC, moving to the next stage of a very serious skin cancer has raised everyone’s level of awareness,” she explains.
Annabel is also quick to mention the positive support she has received from the Cancer Society of New Zealand and particularly for the vouchers she was given to enable her to get skin checks in the first place. A generous bequest from the late David Blunt has made it possible for the Cancer Society Nelson Tasman to offer skin check vouchers to the value of $100 to Nelson Tasman region residents annually.
“I have been aware of the Cancer Society for many years, and I am grateful for the support of the Nelson branch for administrating the vouchers. As a pensioner, this support is greatly appreciated.”
So, what is Annabel’s message to others? Now when she goes outside, she puts on SPF50 sunscreen, wears long sleeves, a hat and sunglasses, and stays in the shade as much as she can. One of her children and two of her grandchildren have similar colouring to her, so she is “on a crusade” to ensure they are SunSmart.
Annabel is also a prime example of the value of early detection.
“We should all keep an eye on our skin and other areas for any abnormalities and we should seek expert advice as soon as possible. You know your own body best and you can identify anything concerning. My experience has shown me that early detection is vital.
“Having dealt with one melanoma site does not mean I am now immune to it – quite the opposite. I will continue to be vigilant and always SunSmart and encourage the people around me to do the same!”