How one skin check sparked a family health awakening

Skin cancer is Australia’s most common cancer, according the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, but it’s easy to ignore that fact until it hits close to home. For Anna, what began as a routine skin check at work turned into a life-changing moment—not just for her, but for her entire family.

When Anna, Bupa member and employee, was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common form of skin cancer, she felt an overwhelming sense of relief that it had been caught early.

“I felt grateful that I had caught it when I did,” Anna says.

 “BCC doesn’t usually spread, but it’s something that needs to be removed before it becomes a bigger problem.

“I feel really fortunate. It makes you think, though—what if it had been a melanoma? What if it had been something worse? I’m just grateful that it wasn’t, and that the hardest part is behind me.”

“I’ve got a long list of things to do, and getting a skin check wasn’t at the top of it.

For Anna, her skin check raised questions about a small, stubborn patch of dry skin on her face that just wouldn’t heal.

“I knew there was something a little dodgy about it,” Anna recalls.

Anna booked in a telehealth appointment through Blua, Bupa’s digital healthcare platform, and obtained a GP referral to a specialist. That biopsy then confirmed Anna had BCC.

But the real turning point came when she encouraged her brother, Steve, to get checked too.

That check uncovered a BCC on his leg but Steve admits, it was a relief to know what it was.

"I'd been meaning to do it for ages, and never got around to it. But my sister told me how easy it was, and pushed me to do it, and so I booked in and got a skin check,” Steve says.

“Sure enough, I also had a BCC on my nose. Thankfully it was removed at an early stage, so I am very glad I got that skin check when I did."

Anna says she’s now vigilant with sun protection.

“We grew up in a time when skincare wasn’t as much of a priority. But now, I’m making sure my kids know the importance of it,” she says.

“I’ll also be stocking up on sunscreen for family Christmas stocking stuffers this year.”

Bupa’s Clinical Director, Dr Simon Benson, says BCCs are the most common form of skin cancer and are usually found on areas that experience higher exposure to the sun.

“We usually see BCCs on older skin, but Anna and Steve’s story of finding them at a younger age is not unique,” Dr Benson says.

“Prevention is key, with the Cancer Council of Australia finding more than 95% of skin cancers are caused by sun exposure. Australia’s climate does us no favours in the UV stakes and you can be doing damage to your skin, even if you don’t get burnt.”

In addition to applying sunscreen, other measures to protect your skin include wearing sun-protective clothing, a hat and sunglasses to protect your face, and seeking shade.