Jill's story - video transcript

Jill Watts - Plymouth

When we were younger, we got burnt. We were always told you'll peel, you'll be fine, you'll go brown.

[Footage of Jill's photo album from when she was a child]

And so we did, we used to get burnt on our shoulders and the tops of our legs. You would go away on holiday, get sun burnt and that was what happened.

When I was working, a couple of nurses noticed that I had a mole. It turned a little bit strange by weeping. I went to my GP, he agreed it needed looking at. They did a biopsy. They called me back afterwards and I saw the consultant and he said unfortunately it was a malignant melanoma.

My mum had passed away the day before I was due to have my second operation.

[Footage of Jill's scar post surgery]

It was very tough to have it done at the same time as grieving for my mother's sudden death but it was done. I'm glad I had it done.

[Footage of Jill's scar post surgery]

It you catch it quick enough it's minor surgery. It could be far worse if you leave it.

It seems very easy for someone like me who doesn’t do a lot of sunbathing. I hate to think how people just lying in the sun for hours on end, the danger that they're going to put themselves in.

[Footage of Jill on the beach with her dog]

Living down in the south west we've got beautiful beaches, we've got lovely countryside, we've got the moors. So you can if you want to have quite an outdoor type of life.

[Footage of Jill on the moors with her dog]

It isn't just sitting on the beach where you could get the sun, you could be walking across the moors, beautiful sunny weather and you could still get burnt.

We’ve recently come back from a cruise. And we spent quite a long time sitting and lying in the shade, reading our books, relaxing. I didn't put any sunscreen on and then at the end of the day I noticed that I had actually got burnt - that really surprised me. So now even sitting in the shade I’m going to have to put some sunscreen on.

[Footage of Jill with her cat]

I do consider myself very lucky that it was caught in time and that I'm fine, I'm safe and I'm well.

Finding skin cancer early saves lives

Find out more about the signs of skin cancer and how to reduce your risk - www.sunsmart.org.uk (The SunSmart campaign is funded by the UK Health Departments)