In February 2017 I was diagnosed with a primary melanoma on my back. It quickly developed other secondary tumours and metastasised to my lymph nodes and over the course of the next 12 months I was operated on 6 times as my fine medical team fought to stop it spreading further.

In March 2018 a new tumour appeared in my stomach that hospitalised me for a week with acute internal bleeding. After 6 blood transfusions and numerous tests a surgical team removed a cricket ball sized tumour and my stomach.

Melanoma is not "just" skin cancer; it is malignant disease that can move rapidly to the body's major organs. Presently in the UK, 7 people a day die from melanoma and some of this disease can be prevented could prevented by education and awareness of the risks of sun damage to the skin.

In my case, high doses of steroids and other medications greatly increased my propensity to develop melanoma, but if I'm honest I liked a sun tan too. I thought I could get away with low SPFs as I was tanning nicely.

Please help raise funds to increase awareness and to secure the funding to keep Macmillan Cancer Support providing the same level of care as I received. 1 in 2 of us will develop some form of cancer in our lifetime...