A WOMAN who has survived the most aggressive and life-threatening form of skin cancer has urged other young people to get checked out if they notice any unusual changes.

Jennifer Morton was just 20 when she was diagnosed with malignant melanoma.

She had always been careful in the sun, wearing factor 50 sunscreen all year round, but a growing mole on her neck had raised concerns among her family and friends.

York Press:

Jennifer said: “It’s just a freckle getting bigger, I thought. But it continued to get bigger and became this dark, mismatched shape. It even started to itch and bleed.”

After eventually going to the doctors she was referred to the dermatology department at York Hospital, where her mole was removed and sent away for sampling.

Jennifer continued: “I was called back in shortly afterwards and was told it was cancer. I remember there being so many people in the room – a nurse, a skin cancer specialist, the doctor, my mum and me.”

Luckily, Jennifer’s cancer was found at an early stage, which meant that it could be treated with surgery. She had further tissue around the area of the mole removed, and was given the ‘all-clear’ in January 2016. A scar on her neck is a reminder of how serious it was, Jennifer said.

She now wears factor 110 sunscreen every day and avoids going outdoors between 11am and 3pm whenever possible. When she does go outside, she wears a sunhat, sunglasses and other protective clothing.

Jennifer, from Sherburn in Elmet, is helping Yorkshire Cancer Research highlight the importance of staying safe in the sun as part of Sun Awareness Week.

She said: “Just because you’re young, it doesn’t mean you won’t get it.

“Prevention is always better than cure. Everyone should feel comfortable within their own body and being pale is ok. You shouldn’t have to ‘need’ a tan to feel good and comfortable in your own skin.”