A woman identified as Ellie Shaw has opened up about her battle with skin cancer after doctors discovered melanoma in a suspicious mole on her body.
Ellie revealed that she had become heavily dependent on sunbeds, spending about 15 minutes tanning every day for three years despite knowing that excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation could damage her skin.
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She said her desire to maintain a tan made her ignore the possible consequences.
“I was very addicted to sunbeds.
“I knew the risks but I ignored them because sunbeds made me feel good.
“I’m very pale naturally so I wanted a nice tan and to feel better about myself.
“I noticed the mole on my back, darker than my others, in early 2025.
“I knew something wasn’t right so I booked a doctors appointment straight away.”
Doctors Initially Said the Mole Was Nothing to Worry About
According to Ellie, she initially sought medical advice after noticing that the mole looked different from the others on her skin.
She was initially reassured that there was nothing to be concerned about. However, after noticing a scab developing over the mole, she decided to return to the doctor.
“I went back to the doctor and they said they weren’t concerned but they referred me to get it removed.
“I wanted the mole off my body.
“I went to the clinic to get it removed and they were trying to convince me not to have it removed because it would leave me with a scar.
“I asked them to take it off and a month later they said it was melanoma.
“I was in shock.”
Ellie was eventually diagnosed with stage 1A melanoma, an early form of skin cancer that is confined to the skin and is highly treatable when detected at this stage.
She said doctors later explained that delaying the removal could have resulted in a much more serious situation.