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THERE WAS A small, waxy scar on Orla Fallon’s forehead for years – something she put down to acne.
“I did suffer with acne so I thought it was just an acne scar. It started to get bigger, it was waxy and had a curly effect,” Orla recalls.
Over time, it started to tingle so she went to a GP. They suspected it was deep skin pigmentation – a condition that affects the colour of a person’s skin.
The doctor sent away for some tests to be carried out and, when Orla didn’t hear back, she presumed everything was fine.
“I completely forgot about it, thought it was nothing,” Orla, 19, says.
However, about a year later the pain worsened and started to burn so she went to see a dermatologist privately.
“I was diagnosed nearly straight away, the doctor in Sligo rang me after a few days and asked me to come back in, I thought, ‘Oh God, that’s not going to be good news’.”
Orla, who is from Bundoran in Donegal, was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) – a type of skin cancer.
A huge shock
This was a huge shock for her – she was just 17 years old and about to start her Leaving Cert year. She says she’s also not one for sunbathing so “couldn’t really understand why” she had this type of cancer.
“A lot of people think it’s a result of tanning beds and wearing oil [in the sun], there’s a stigma around it but anyone can get it,” Orla notes.
She says her diagnosis also surprised her doctors as she was so young and had no family history of skin cancer.
It’s just one of those things, the luck of the draw.
A biopsy at St James’s Hospital in Dublin confirmed it was BCC.
Surgery
Orla underwent Mohs surgery – a specialised technique where tissue is removed piece by piece and looked at under a microscope until no traces of cancer cells are left.
A skin graft is usually needed afterwards. Other treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy are sometimes needed to treat skin cancer.
Orla was under local anaesthetic for the surgery – meaning she was awake throughout the procedure.
I was awake for the whole thing. I couldn’t feel anything, part of my face was numb but I could feel blood trickling down my head. I was very nervous but I was putting on a brave face.
“They take a bit of skin away and test it to see if there are cancer cells left … I had to go back in three times to remove more skin each time.”
The surgery was a success and Orla got the all-clear about three weeks later.
Leaving Cert
Despite her diagnosis, Orla only missed about a month of school throughout her Leaving Cert year.
The surgery was carried out just before Christmas so she had time to recover over the holiday period. Orla says it was “very hard” to deal with the stress of the Leaving Cert as well as being sick, but her school and medical team were very supportive.
She says the staff in St James’s were “lovely” and “didn’t want me to miss much school so they worked around my schedule”.
Orla returned to school about two weeks after her classmates in January.
“I was put on heavy painkillers but I’m not one to take painkillers if I can avoid it. Some days I’d wake up and have to close the curtains, it was too bright.
“I had over 60 stitches in my forehead. I had a big bandage on my head so didn’t want to go in [to school] and have people looking at me.”
The stitches were removed after about 10 days.
“The school (Magh Éne College in Bundoran) was brilliant. They put my course material online, they thought I’d be out for longer too.”
Orla, who is now studying Business at IT Sligo, says: “Everything is good now. Great, thank God.” She has check-ups every six month in Dublin.
For anyone who may be concerned about a scar, her advice is simple: “Get it checked out.”
“All my family are coming up to me now, saying ‘I’ve a mark, look at this’. I’m a skin expert now,” she jokes.
UV levels
There are three major types of skin cancer: BCC, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and melanoma. The first two skin cancers are non-melanoma skin cancers.
The latest figures available from the National Cancer Registry show that in 2014 there were 10,304 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer and 1,041 cases of melanoma in Ireland.
The Irish Cancer Society (ICS) has a SunSmart Code, which has advice for people about staying safe in the sun and reducing their risk of developing skin cancer.
Most summer days, even cloudy ones, have high enough UV levels to damage a person’s skin, meaning sun cream and other precautions could be necessary.
“I’m always checking the UV index, I’m the biggest sun nerd,” Orla says, adding that information compiled by the ICS has helped her become more knowledgeable about this important topic.
Marathon in a Month
Orla tells us she “wanted to give back” and will be taking part in the ICS’s Marathon in a Month in July – a fundraiser in which participants aim to complete the distance of a marathon (just over 42km) over the course of a month through walking, jogging or running.
The society notes that people should be doing 150 minutes of physical activity every week. That’s the same number of people who get a cancer diagnosis in Ireland every day.
The initiative aims to get people exercising while raising vital funds for the ICS’s work. For more information about the campaign, click here.
More information and advice about skin cancer can be read here.
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What type of GP is this person who sends samples away to get tested and never follows or keeps the girl updated-unbelievable and unprofessional but am sure he didn’t forget to ask Orla for €55.
@Dominick Lodola: why don’t you thr GPs side of the story before declaring judgement on social media. Perhaps the punch biopsy did not reveal an abnormality? A SCC in this age group is incredibly rare so it would not be considered incompetence to not be concerned. If there was gross negligence she can report the GP or pathology lab to the medical council.
And regarding €55 – yes the public except all health services to be free because surgical equipment, medical training, and practice costs can be paid for with a big wad of entitlement.
@RealityHammer: in general GPs are terrible at getting back. Always seem to have to ring their office to follow up. People can get lost in this chase system. Communication is usually terrible and never know where u stand.
Both my friend and I had a very similar situation going to a doctor in Sligo. Complained of horrendous back pain, extreme tiredness, he even weighed me and congratulated me on losing 10kg. Gave me some anti inflammatory tablets, no blood test or being sent for an x ray. Pain did not subside, it was only when I moved to Dublin and went to a fantastic GP who did not rest until I had answers. Turned out I had a massive tumour on my sternum, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma. I had to under go chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant and radiation. Some doctors really do not give a damn. But I cannot praise the GP in Dublin or the staff in St.James Hospital enough.
Doesn’t matter what country your in.. it’s still the same sun.. cover up and protect those spots on your skin.. Lucky she caught it thank god.
@Michael Garvey: misleading article, as BCC never metastasizes (spreads), only invades. Yes glad that she caught it in time before it caused cosmetic damage to her face but there was not a realistic change of serious complications unless it went unchecked for years.
Good to highlight it though, many older people have SCC and BCC and don’t realise. You can end up with a nasty scar.
Melanoma is another kettle of fish completely, BCC is the very opposite end of the spectrum. Good to highlight that any amount of sunlight can cause cancerous growths however.
@George Beckett: just say “spreads” thanks though
@George Beckett: absolutely correct BCC will not metastasise, a melanoma can be a killer, saw a young girl same age as this die from one when I worked in oncology, still remember her name.
I hope this girl is bringing that original GP to the cleaners for all she can…not getting back to her at all? Diagnosing this a year earlier could have made all the difference.
Maybe the cancer had not developed on her first visit to her GP.
@Gavin Redmond: actually quite a lot of GP work is reversing the wrong diagnosis that Google and various fora have guessed at. What you should do is stop going to your GP (10 years medical training minimum) and go to the chiropractor, reiki master or other quack that has absolutely no oversight or regulartory body.
And if you wonder why most GPs don’t perform minor surgeries anymore it’s because the department of health cut the fee to essentially zero (€23 before costs) to make it a non viable loss procedure and now force patients to go into hospital after about ) months wait to get these procedures done at many times the cost (About €2000 per procedure)
As bad as this must have been for this person does it really need such a drama hyped story to be published? People are in hospital for far worse and far more rare reasons all the time.
@Joseph Bloggs: I don’t think there is hyped drama in this story, this is a young girl and I applaud her sharing her story, it creates great awareness and would make me more aware of such marks on my skin.
When you go to a GP in this country you are expected to self diagnose absolute shambles.
@Gavin Redmond: what GP expects you to self diagnose when you visit them ? And if you are self diagnosing then what would be the point in go to see them in the first place ?
@Suzie Sunshine:
Yes very true Suzie has same mark
On her ass but it’s kinda cute
@Fran Kembo: behave !
@Gavin Redmond: I went to my GP with a couple of marks on my skin – back and face. He had me with a surgeon specialist within 48 hrs. Th following Thursday, the surgeon was cutting chunks away under local anesthetic. Both of them did a good job. People should not generalise – all doctors and consultants are individuals.
Over a year ago I noticed a tiny spot under my eye. After about three months it was still there. I went to my GP who recommend I see a specialist. He removed it in his own surgery, a procedure which took 30 mins. A year later the tiny scar has almost disappeared. I still go for regular check ups and use a high factor Sun screen almost all year round. Any mark on the face should be checked out immediately, not years later. BCC is not invasive but the longer it’s left untreated, the more complex the surgery. I can’t imagine waiting years before seeking medical advice.
the education around skin cancer/sun protection is utterly confusing. Ive been caught out in the sun a few times unfortunately. Had i known better and been less ignorant, i may not have.
I was on the waiting list for 2 years to have my bcc removed 5yrs ago, its a rat cancer so its a chill out nothing to worry about case. In one day to chisel it out from my forehead, twice because they missed a bit. Then back into work the next day. Face all swollen, but if i can talk and type, work shows no mercy.
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