Mum with skin cancer urges people to wear suncream

A woman who has been battling skin cancer for over ten years has implored people to wear sun protection as summer rolls around.

Jacqueline Gallagher from Strabane said she would love to go back and tell her younger self to use suncream.

The mum-of-two has been battling basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer, for over ten years.

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer.

Because it grows slowly, most are curable and cause minimal damage when caught and treated early.

However, the longer you wait to get treatment, the more likely it is that this form of cancer will recur, sometimes repeatedly.

And there are some highly unusual, aggressive cases where it spreads to other parts of the
body.

Jacqueline said that when she was told that she had skin cancer, she felt she ‘brought it on herself’ by spending years seeking tanned skin.

Since being diagnosed, Jacquline has had numerous procedures and operations to remove tumors and cancer clusters.

Speaking to the Strabane Chronicle, Jacqueline said she hopes that people, especially those with fair skin, heed her warning and use sun cream protection.

Jacqueline said, “People don’t realise how skin cancer changes a person’s whole life. I have to wear different clothes and stay out of the sun and make sure that I always am wearing some form of sun protection.

“I’ve been battling basal cell carcinoma for over ten years: I have had a tumour removed from my nose and multiple cancer clusters burned off.

“I know there is a culture, particularly with young girls, wanting to get a nice tan and I understand that.

“But, I would ask them not to go without sun protection tbecause there can be consequences.

“Skin cancer changes your whole life and affects you physically and mentally. I will be battling this condition for the rest of my life because it is uncurable.”