Skelmersdale Skin Cancer Urges Others To Get Checked Out

A skin cancer sufferer from Skelmersdale is urging people to checked out after a mole on her face turned out to be stage three melanoma.

25 year old Gemma Cottam was diagnosed with the condition in October last year..

Since then she's undergone two majors operation, and now is waiting to see if the cancer has stopped.

Gemma's since started a for advice over the condition after struggling to find support herself.

She said: "Melanoma is the most common form of cancer in 25-29 year olds and there's not a lot of coverage of it"

"I started a Facebook page help raise the awareness needed to save lives."

Gemma had the mole since she was 15 but decided to get it checked out after noticing it started to grow bigger.

She soon had it removed after a holiday, but then had the results of a biopsy, which gave her the devestating news.

"It just stops you in your tracks, it's not a word that you expect someone to say to you."

"You think it's never going to happen to you and then it does.

Sadly, she later found out it the cancer had spread further and she was now facing stage three of the disease.

After undergoing two surgies, Gemma was able to leave hospital in time for Christmas and is now waiting on her results this month.

Now she's urging people who has any doubts over a mole to get themselves checked out.

"It will make them think twice about sunbeds, a mole they haven't got checked out. You can never be too careful when it comes to your skin"

For more information on Gemma's story and her condition you can head over to her website here

Due to her condition, Gemma's unable to go back to work, and has been forced to use money saved for a wedding to get through everyday life.

Friends and family have set up a gofundme page to help Gemma and fiance Paul to help pay for their wedding.

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