At 38-years-old, Lorraine was diagnosed with ocular melanoma (melanoma in the eye) and is now fighting for her life.

In 2002, after her eye was removed, Lorraine and her family believed the cancer was gone. That was until July this year when she was diagnosed with a secondary melanoma in the liver, an aftermath and progression of the original cancer.

Lorraine says one of the hardest parts of the whole cancer experience has been realising that she will miss out on so many of the milestones her children will experience in their lives.

Lorraine has been advocating sun protection for many years and when she was diagnosed with melanoma in 2002 she wrote to the Cancer Council at a time when the original SunSmart messages were evolving to include the wearing of sunglasses.

She says she was very encouraged to see the introduction of wrap-around sunglasses added to the SunSmart message.

Lorraine’s cancer was caused by prolonged exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation and she wants her story to be a reminder to teens, that skin cancer is real, and it is also one of the few preventable cancers.

In Australia, close to a quarter of melanomas diagnosed in women are in those under 45 years of age. It is the third most common cancer in Canberra men and women. It is also the most common cancer in younger Australians.

According to the Cancer Council ACT, the majority of teenagers experience sunburn at least once over the summer period, with one in three having sunburn severe enough to blister.

For information on skin cancer prevention, sun protection or the SunSmart Program in the ACT contact the Cancer Council Helpline 13 11 20 or visit us at www.actcancer.org