Paul agreed to share his story with us. Expect ups and downs, the “c” word (yes, cancer) as well as a whole lot of optimism:
Sports
“I’m 61 and have enjoyed the outdoor lifestyle Sydney’s great climate provides I have always pursued activities in sports and leisure such as; soccer, tennis, scuba diving, surfing, kayaking, bushwalking, and most recently golf.
My lineage is of Scottish, Irish, English and German ancestry which simply put are that of Anglo Saxon stock, what most would describe as fair-skinned.
In my youth, playing in the backyard with my brother and sisters or holidays at the beach before the days of “slip, slop, slap” we often had competitions to see who could peel off the longest strips of skin after a dose of sunburn.
Multiple skin cancers
I have already had several Basal Cell Carcinomas cut out and annually visit a dermatologist to “inspect” and burn off (liquid nitrogen) unwanted lesions. I’ve also had a course of chemotherapy “Triamcinolone acetonide topical cream” on most of my scalp to mass exterminate potential nasties.
I have several friends who share the same background who have had melanomas removed. My wife works in oncology and has threatened to kill me if I also get a Melanoma so I am taking a proactive approach to better skincare.
The SkinVision app
I first learned of the SkinVision App when I saw a program on TV some time ago. I was impressed then so when I heard your CEO recently on the radio I signed up immediately. I’ve always been concerned that medical practitioners are so strapped for time the cursory 5 minutes once over is going to miss something vital. Even then, we could develop something the day after seeing the doc. and not go back for a whole year.
We (men in particular, as we are so tough and don’t want to complain) need to take more responsibility to be aware of our bodies and monitor any changes. I used to keep a two-dimensional paper map of my body and markdown anything new for the next visit. There are so many moles now which are “nothing to worry about” that I can’t get a big enough sheet of paper to markdown and remember which are on the “watch” list and those that are not.
The SkinVision app is the perfect tool to help the average person keep a track of and help our medical practitioners monitor any changes. Very applicable to those living in remote parts of Australia. I’m very glad to have found this app!”
