After a long winter, nothing compares to the warmth of the sun on your skin. When the temperatures rise, we shed our layers and rush to the park, the beach, or the backyard. For all the freedom and frolicking the spring and summer bring, we need to be cautious and protect our skin.
One former sun worshipper, who often spent hours outside to gain a natural tan, learned that it simply wasn’t worth it when she developed the most dangerous form of skin cancer and lost a chunk of her arm as a result.
Jane noticed her mole four years ago.
Jane Murray, a mother and personal trainer from Dublin, Ireland, had been living with a mole on her arm for four years, the Daily Mail reports. But she thought it looked normal, so she didn’t think much of it. But in November 2024, Jane’s friend, who works as a nurse, expressed her concerns. So Jane made a doctor’s appointment. The doctor told Jane, they weren’t sure what it was but they wanted to remove it to be on the safe side.
Jane had to have two surgeries.
“On December 3 I had it removed,” Jane said. “And I received an email in February asking if I could go back in and see them. I went back in on my own. When she started telling me the diagnosis I didn’t think she was talking to me.”
After a bit of a back and forth, Jane’s doctors said that she had stage 2 melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. Jane had to have a second surgery, removing a patch of skin on her arm and surrounding glands to make sure they eliminated all of the cancer cells.
The surgery was more extensive than Jane anticipated.
Surgeons had to make a large incision into Jane’s arm. Afterward, she needed 77 stitches to close her back up. “This is a whole big chunk of my arm,” Jane said. “I woke up to a completely different outcome than what I had imagined.” The drastic measures were effective. On April 23, 2025, Jane received the news that she was cancer-free. Now, that she’s on the other side, Jane is issuing a warning to others.
Jane urges others to get skin cancer checks.
“I was a sun worshipper, I would sit in the sun morning to night on my holidays,” Jane recalled. “I always wore my SPF, but I think I’d be safe at the start and use [SPF] 30, and then try to find [SPF] 2 to buy for the last few days … It just ‘wasn’t worth it.’ … A sun tan is gone two weeks after you get home from holiday.’”
Even more importantly, Jane wants people not to be afraid to go to the doctor. “If a mole feels funny, don’t feel stupid for getting it checked,” she urged.
*Disclaimer: The advice on LittleThings.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
