Written by Jenna Wheeler © Copyright 2005
Graphic photos could be nauseating or disturbing to readers
I am no stranger to the effects of Australia’s harsh climate now, having been diagnosed with multiple recurrent skin cancers since 2005, this was the final wake-up call for me personally. Nobody told me how dangerous the sun was in Australia. I did not sun bathe on beaches, I was just a typical hard working woman who enjoyed outdoors, gardening and lawnmowing as a self employed job at the time, kicking around in shorts and tank tops. I used sun screen but it did not work for me.
Types of skin cancer.
But first… what is skin cancer? Dermatologists will tell you that skin cancers occur when skin cells are damaged by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. They fall into two main categories: non-melanoma and melanoma.
Broadly speaking, the majority of skin cancers diagnosed are either: Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC), Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) or Melanoma.
1. Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC).
- SCCs develop in the squamous cells in the upper layer of the skin, are common on parts of the body that have the most incidental sun exposure (head, neck, hands, forearms and lower legs) and can grow and change quickly over weeks or months.
- Symptoms of an SCC may include: A thickened red, scaly spot, a lump that has appeared and grown quickly, a spot that looks like a sore that hasn’t healed and/or is painful or tender to touch
2. Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC).
- BCCs are the most common type of skin cancer in Australia and they develop in the basal cells in the lowest layer of the skin.
- BCCs are common on parts of the body that receive high levels of sun exposure (the areas that tend to get really burnt at the beach like the head, face, neck, shoulders and back) and grow slowly over time with little symptoms.
- Symptoms of a BCC may include: A pearly lump, a scaly, dry area that is shiny, something that may look like a pimple and is pale or bright pink in color.
3. Melanoma.
- Melanoma is the third most common cancer diagnosed in Australia, and is particularly common in young people – it’s a life-threatening form of skin cancer because it can spread to other parts of the body via the lymph nodes (think of melanoma cells as spores).
- They develop deep within the skin and can be caused by a history of unprotected sun exposure (sunburn and solarium use), and can appear all over the body and develop over a period of weeks to months.
- There are different types and stages of melanoma – if caught early, melanoma is treatable. This becomes more difficult once the cancer has spread.
- Symptoms of a melanoma may include: A new or existing spot, mole or freckle, a spot, mole or freckle that changes shape, colour or size and/or had a smudgy, irregular outline.
You can read more about different types of skin cancers on the Cancer Council Australia website.
The first tumor started off as a ten cent piece size which grew on my back to the size of a tomato. As I was in the USA at the time, it took eight months to get it sorted out due to Medicare guidelines. The tumor was alive and pulsating and spitting out gases like it was a living creature on my back. With much Prayer with Prayer warriors God helped me through, as it was a very emotional time, and frightening. It also smelt like rotten flesh while it was still living on my back. A friend put me in touch with a Doctor that helped me with an ointment called “Black salve” and one pill each day to try and terminate the tumor. https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2018/december/black-salve-in-a-nutshell
The Doctor took a biopsy of the large tumor and it came back as cancer. Then preparation had to be made for my operation to take place. The operation took eight hours because when they went to remove what was a Squamous Carcinoma Tumor it was the size of a baseball inside my back and down my left arm. They had to remove muscle tissue, and my arm became disfigured. The Doctor stated it had been growing for nearly ten years inside my body.
Tumor One:
Tumor Number two:
One year later 2006 another bubble occurred on my forehead, looked like a pimple but three weeks went by and it still was the same, so I decided to squeeze it and it sounded like breaking glass the noise then a hole appeared. Therefore, I went back to the same Doctor he took a biopsy and stated it was another Squamous starting but he could not do the operation this time due to being on my face so he sent me to a Plastic Surgeon Doctor.
Tumor Three:
One year to the date in 2007 another two lesions were removed down the side of my nose and my face. No photo’s were taken of these, but I had stitches right down the left hand side of my nose. I was told this would be ongoing to the day I die. and although the tumors were popping out and being removed I would have to have checkups every year at the Cancer medical center.
Tumor Four:
This one started at the end of my scar where I had been cut when removing the large tumor, and it had started to grow again. Here we go again, another mountain popping out of my arm and more operations.
I must say by this time my body had been through many challenges with this rough journey, I had to keep positive for my families sake.
Tumor 5:
This one started like a pimple on the forehead where an old lesion had been exercised and this one turned out to be a basal squamous.
I have another three forming and will put the information up later after the Skin Cancer clinic has finished doing what they have to do. But please be careful out there in the dangerous rays of radiated sunlight. I now have to stay well covered if I go for walks or outdoors.
Our Experiences 