A mum credits a facial for saving her life after the beautician noticed suspicious marks during her pamper session, which later turned out to be cancerous.
Jillian Murray, 62, first noticed a mark on her chest last June but was reassured everything was fine after a doctor advised her that it wasn't anything to worry about.
However, in October, Jillian, from Cairns, Australia, paid a visit to her beautician of six years, Leigh Murphy, 41, who - after giving Jillian her skin treatment - urged her to get a second opinion.
Without hesitation, Jillian booked in to see a skin specialist, who diagnosed her with a stage two melanoma on her chest and basal cell carcinoma on her nose.
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Childcare centre owner Jillian underwent two operations in November and December to have the cancer cells removed before they could spread to her lymph nodes. She believes she wouldn't be alive today without Leigh's caring advice.
Jillian said: "It's amazing for a beautician to find it when a doctor missed it first. She's worth her weight in gold. She's bloody ace. I'm a very lucky lady. Without her expertise I wouldn't be here and my doctor said I won the lotto with her.
"When I tell her she's saved my life, she gets goosebumps, she's overwhelmed and she's so pleased that her training has taught her what to do".
She continued: "I've been seeing Leigh for a few years. She went over me like a fine-tooth comb. She told me on a Friday that the mark needed to be looked at so I booked in the following week.
"I was getting my skin cleaned and she said she didn't like the mark on my chest. It looked like a red bruise. As soon as she saw it, she said I need to get it looked at as soon as possible.
"Prior to that, about six months before, I saw another doctor and they told me to put a cream on it and said nothing to worry about, it's fine".
Thankfully, Jillian was found to be "just outside of the margin", so doctors didn't need to take her lymph nodes out. She now has to go for check-ups every three months and is said to be healing well.
Jillian and Leigh have since formed a friendship, with the kind-hearted beautician having supported her throughout the recovery process
Leigh said: "I’m so happy I was able to help my friend as the oncologist advised that if it was left any longer it would’ve gone into her lymph nodes.
"I use an Asap SkinCare in my salon and a Super B serum that has been amazing on Jillian’s scars. In April, I will start to do some radio frequency micro-needling treatments".
Jillian added: "Without Leigh, I wouldn't be here. We've become friends but she's a lot younger than me. I think she's a gorgeous girl.
"I brag about her and tell people to go and see her because she does her job and she's very caring. She's very professional. I've probably sent a good few people to her. My family is so grateful for Leigh".
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