SOMERSET NEWS: You can still get skin cancer even if you don’t like sunbathing!

A SOMERSET builder is warning about the dangers of getting too much sun after being diagnosed with skin cancer – even though he was not a fan of sunbathing.

Oliver Guy was 17 when he was diagnosed with having malignant melanoma. It was only discovered when a friend saw blood seeping through the back of his t-shirt.

“It was coming from a halo mole which was on my back,” said Oliver.

“After seeing my GP I was referred to a mole specialist, they came to the conclusion that the bleeding one on my back was of no concern but one on the side of my face, and another on the top of my shoulder was.”

Oliver, who is now aged 22 and lives at Ash, near Martock, said that as a child he was always covered in high factor sun cream at the “glimpse of any sun.2

“But I was never one to seek the heat,” he said. “I have never sunbathed as I don’t like the heat which is why this diagnosis was more of a shock as we had always been so careful in younger life. I am one of four.”

Oliver went to his GP who referred him to a dermatologist, which led to day surgery in Yeovil Hospital for mole removal, which was sent off for tests.

“After testing positive for melanoma, I was called back to Yeovil Hospital for results,” explained. “I was told an operation would take place in the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital to have 2cm of flesh cut away and lymph node biopsy. Luckily this came back negative.

“Then every three months for three years I saw two specialists - Rachael and Mihaela - and this then moved to every six months for the last two years.”

Oliver, who works as a builder, continued: “I have learnt the most important areas to protect from the sun and passed this knowledge onto my friends.

“I know what melanoma does not like and now know how to avoid setting symptoms off.

“Overall I am confident to be able to do my job as a builder and enjoy the sun without doing any damage. I can now pass all of this information onto my friends which also, makes them aware, and they can now pass this information onto others.”

The latest “Cover Up, Mate” campaign targets those who work outside, such as builders.

He said he would never preach to any of his fellow builders for not protecting themselves against the sun as it was their choice to taken the precautions.

But he added: “Places like building sites, which are generally all men, and other trades would consider it ‘uncool’ to apply sun protection.

“But it seems to be a lot more ‘uncool’ to suffer the consequences of skin cancer. For people with young families, they really need to be aware so that they set a good example to the people that look up to them.

“All of my friends are in their 20s and they now will happily wear sun cream when needed as they know the consequences. At the end of the day it’s not worth risking your health to take two minutes out of your day to apply sun cream, all my friends and I are aware and take the precautions and we hope we can get this message across to others.”

Yeovil Hospital is supporting a national campaign to raise awareness as skin cancer in men continues to rise.

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