Coulton’s wake-up call
AFTER nearly 15 years in the rough and tumble of federal politics, Mark Coulton is used to bracing himself for battle, but none compares to the fear of facing a foe like cancer.
Late last year, the Parkes MP had a malignant melanoma removed from his face after a surprise diagnosis following a regular check-up.
“Having things cut out of me is a regular occurrence – I’ve worked in the sun all my life, so I’ve had a number of basal cell carcinomas (BCC) removed,” he recalls, adding that the speed with which the malignant melanoma developed was “a bit of a shock”.
“It was only a matter of six months after having another BCC removed from my face.
“When you hear that you have a malignant melanoma – it’s a bit of a fright because it just goes to show how quickly things move.”
It was “a wake up call” for the farmer-cum-politician, who says he no longer takes skin lesions for granted, but says to have a malignant melanoma removed a mere six months after a thorough check-up gave him an allclear was a fright.
Mr Coulton says the sun-smart message is just one aspect of the melanoma message
“It’s also important to know that melanoma can pop up anywhere – it can pop up under your fingernail. I had a neighbour who had a melanoma develop under the sole of his foot.
“So while sun safety and skin damage is still where we look, it’s important to look for any other lesion.”
He agrees that those who, like him, are fair skinned and have spent time a lot of time in the Aussie sun need to be particularly careful.
“When I was younger, we mostly worked shirtless in the summer – driving tractors with no cabins and so on. We are paying that price now.”
Dubbo’s brand new Western Cancer Centre, which officially opened earlier this month, houses state of the art equipment and expertise that will make skin cancer treatment more accessible for regional patients.
“It’s so important to be able to have that treatment here, and that will make a big difference. But we need to remember that sometimes it’s difficult to get to a specialist immediately, so it’s important not to wait – go to your GP and have things checked out.”
From a very personal perspective, Mr Coulton’s message not just during Melanoma March, but all year ‘round, is two-fold:
“Protect yourself from the sun. Cover up and wear sunscreen.
“And have regular check-ups. There are a variety of skin cancers that are all slightly different but all dangerous in their own way.
“If you can’t get to a specialist, at least see your regular GP and ask for advice.
“These cancers move very quickly.
“They can be life-threatening. Take them seriously.”