‘I found out I had a deadly melanoma at 38 weeks pregnant’

Source: Northern Star, September 2018

CLAIR Helmrich noticed a spot on her left cheek that looked innocent enough, but then it slowly began to grow and change shape. At 38 weeks pregnant Clair received some devastating news – she had a potentially deadly skin cancer, a melanoma.

I’d been to a skin cancer clinic twice after I noticed the spot on my face had started changing. I said, I wanted to have it removed, but on both occasions was told there was no issue with the spot, removing it would be for vanity reasons only, so I left it.

But as time passed, I still had a niggling feeling, it kept changing. So, when I went on maternity leave, I decided to get it checked again. But when I turned up for my appointment at the skin cancer clinic, it was closed. With my pregnancy brain in high gear, I realised I’d made an appointment at the wrong place. I discovered I’d accidentally booked into the dermatologist across the road. It was a mistake that probably saved my life.