I thought the itching was pregnancy stretch marks, but it was a taupe skin cancer

Sitting in the medical office, my precious newborn on my lap, I almost collapsed when I heard the dreaded words.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush," said my GP. "You have cancer."

I sat staring at the wall, I could not take anything else after he said the word "cancer".

I thought I was going to die.

Dad had come with me and he grabbed my hand, trying to rebadure me. He told me that everything would be fine, but I could not really hear him.

It was horrible, like a nightmare.

I squeezed my baby in my arms as tears flooded my eyes, distorting my vision as much as the news had skewed my thoughts.

All I could think of were my babies, Oscar, 5, and Oliver, who is now 1 year old, and how they should grow up without a mother. How could I ever have seen them grow up?

In the next few weeks, I will cry for everything. And I kept staring at things, simply thinking: "I'm going to die."

I remembered how a mole on my belly had become stupidly irritated when I was six months pregnant with Oliver.

My skin is very clear and I have a lot of moles and freckles, but they have never itchy in this way.

And every time I took a shower, the rest of my skin turned pink because of the heat but there was still a white ring around the mole on my belly.

But I did not know because I thought it was just a symptom of my belly stretching and changing with pregnancy.

I seriously regret this decision to ignore it now.

But luckily, I did not ignore it forever. Months after having Oliver, the itching did not stop and there was always a white ring around the area every time I took a shower. Then I started worrying myself. I knew then that it was not normal.

I went to see my GP, they examined the situation under the microscope and said, "We will take it off".

They cut and removed it that day, but then had to wait two weeks for the results.

When the results arrived, my GP rang and told me to return immediately, which led to the surgery that day. He told me that I had cancer as soon as I sat down.

But we caught it while it was still a superficial melanoma.

My doctor told me that I could have saved my life by participating in the surgery that day.

If I had ignored the warning signs, five years later, it would probably have penetrated deeper into my body and would have spread to my bones.

My dad had a malignant melanoma that he happily caught before it spread.

He always told me to check my moles and have them checked by a doctor if I noticed any changes.

I'm glad he told me so because otherwise I might not have consulted the doctor when I did it.

Until now, six moles have been removed and I have to go back for regular exams. It was said that I would probably need to have more.

But I prefer to have 1000 scars than cancer.

Now I do not want to go on vacation to Birkenhead again. I prefer to go camping in the woods.

I have very light skin and when I was younger, I used lots of sunbeds and oil when I was on vacation. I especially regret doing it now.

I'm going to use the 50's and wear a hat if I'm still in the sun.

Now, I really want to warn others that if you notice a change in your moles, please go to your doctor. Early detection is essential and this visit to your doctor could save your life.

Dermatologist warns of death from skin cancer

Dr. Juber Hafiji, consultant dermatologist, dermatologist surgeon and British spokesman for skin foundations, said that although skin cancer is a common cancer in the UK, it can be cured if it is tracked early.

Dr. Hafiji told The Sunday Mirror, "Skin cancer deaths are entirely preventable, but more than 2,000 people die each year from melanoma in the UK, one of the most most deadly skin cancer I know. "

"With regard to melanoma, millimeters of extension in the skin can affect the prognosis of an individual.

"Watch for any changes in the size, shape and color of the moles, especially if these changes occur suddenly.

"Itching, bleeding, or changes in sensation may also be the first symptoms and signs of skin cancer."

If you are concerned about skin cancer or have a family history, Dr. Hafiji recommends that you have a complete body examination for early signs of skin cancer or precancerous growth.

He said: "Although we are seeing an exponential increase in skin cancer rates in the UK, there is still a lot of work to be done to educate the public about what to watch for.

"If you have a lot of moles, how do you know if you have melanoma on your back if no one is looking for it?

"There are a number of risk factors for skin cancer. If you work outdoors, if you have fair skin, if you have already been severely burned, if you have a family history of skin cancer or if you are taking immunosuppressive medications, you are at increased risk.

"Since people are used to being tested for prostate and bad cancer, skin testing for early-stage skin cancer should also be recommended."

"Annual skin checks could prevent the heartbreaking scenes I see in my clinic every week, when people hear about cancer for the first time.

"Early detection is vital, so if in doubt, have it checked."

"Surgery remains the gold standard treatment for the majority of skin cancers, which I see if the goal is to cure the disease."

"Prevention is better than cure, so adopting sensible sun protection measures will help reduce your risk of developing skin cancer."

"Do not forget to wear a shirt, sunscreen, put on a hat, look for shade and slip sunglbades."