Mum left 'blindsided' by skin cancer bombshell a month before 40th birthday

27 May 2024 , 21:14

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Adele Hughes was diagnosed with stage three melanoma at the age of 39 (Image: Adele Hughes)

A mum who was left "completely blindsided" after finding out she had cancer a month before her 40th birthday is warning others against the use of sunbeds.

Adele Hughes, 44, is now raising awareness of the disease and urging young people to protect their skin by avoiding the use of sunbeds, after she herself overcame her battle with skin cancer. The mum to Sienna, 12, and 10-year-old Elise, is now three years cancer-free. Adele said: "I'd never wish anybody to go on that skin cancer journey.

"I had two young children when I was diagnosed in December 2019 and being told I had cancer and that it had spread to my lymph nodes, blindsided me. It felt terrifying and when I look back on months of treatment that included six surgeries and 18 cycles of immunotherapy treatment, I realise how difficult it has been."

Adele with daughters Sienna, 12, and Elise, 10 (Adele Hughes)

But while the primary school teacher has been given the all clear, she is still extra cautious with regular scans and check-ups at Albyn Hospital in Aberdeen, reports the Daily Record. She said: "I hope I can encourage people to think about their sun habits, take precautions and to never use sunbeds.

"As a mum, part of the routine in our house every morning is putting on sunscreen and we reapply sunscreen throughout the day so it remains effective. We need to educate parents and schools to get a message out there that it's vital to protect your skin.

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"That includes covering up with clothes, a wide-brimmed hat and spending time in the shade, especially between 11am and 3pm. Melanoma is something that we can prevent and I think there's so many steps we can take to prevent this from happening to people in the future."

According to the NHS, Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that can spread to other areas of the body. The main cause is ultraviolet light, which comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds. Your chances of getting melanoma may increase from factors such as your age, having pale skin, a large number of moles, and a family history of skin cancer.

Zahra Khaliq