Melanoma is no longer the disease that strikes just the older generation.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
There are alarming statistics that show a large number of teenagers or those in their early 20s are diagnosed but Amie St Clair Melanoma Trust clinical nurse specialist Eileen Friedlieb said there is a solution.
Mrs Friedlieb believes the behaviour we instill in our children in their first 15 years can dictate how they work and play in the sun.
Mrs Friedlieb has spent the past three years in Wagga as the only melanoma nurse in the district and currently has 35 patients that she sees in the two-and-a-half days a week that she works.
“I’ve had to pave my way and get us listened to,” she said.
“I’ve had to put myself out there to be recognised … because melanoma is so specialised, it’s not the same as any other form of skin cancer.
“It is rife in Wagga and we want to give people a better understanding of what it is.”
Wagga resident Natalie McDermott was diagnosed with melanoma 15 months ago after she noticed a mole on her shoulder was attached to a lump under her skin.
She had the melanoma removed and is now required to have skin checks every six months.
Mrs McDermott and her husband were in the process of trying to have children when she was diagnosed.
Her treatment means they have had to seek alternative options and Mrs Friedlieb was an integral part of consulting with specialists in Sydney to see what the McDermott’s options were.
“I know with Eileen I can call her or send her a message and it’s not an incovenience,” Mrs McDermott said.
“It’s reassuring to know there is someone here at a local level.”
Mrs McDermott never leaves the house without a hat or sunscreen and wears light protective clothing when she can.
Mrs McDermott said she was not a sun-loving child but remembers a couple of sunburns that could have contributed to her diagnosis.
“What we do as a child is what increases our risk of melanoma,” she said.
The right education is one of the services the Amie St Clair Melanoma Trust offers and the foundation is holding an information night on March 4 from 6pm at the Wagga City Council meeting rooms.
Melanoma patients and their family and friends are invited to attend the one-hour session to listen to specialists and survivors and ask questions about the disease, treatment and support options.
Those wanting to attend must RSVP by March 2 to Carol on 6926 0099.
The Melanoma Trust Support Group meets every second month on the first Monday of the month at Lillier Lodge on Edward Street.