A runner has told of her horror ordeal after a sore patch between her toes turned out to be deadly cancer. Amy Jardan, who was 40 at the time, initially noticed an intense itching sensation between her toes.
The now 48-year-old attempted to get rid of the sensation by itching it but after that didn't seem to get rid of the itch she decided to have a closer look. Upon inspection, Amy noticed a tiny spot with rings around it and rough edges.
Speaking to TODAY.com she said: “I thought, ‘That’s interesting. I’ve never noticed that before. I had an appointment the following week with my primary doctor for something else.
"I talked to her about this. She said, ‘That’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.’”
According to the Mirror, the doctor referred her for a biopsy, where she was later told that she had acral melanoma. The rare cancer can develop on hands, feet, fingernails or toenails.
Amy said she was "shocked" by the news.
She continued: “I quickly sat down … I was diagnosed in 2015 January, February. My mom had died December 12 from one cancer. My sister was diagnosed six months before with a different cancer.”
The keen runner was taken for surgery to remove the lesion and the tissue surrounding it. Determined not to let the cancer keep her on the side line, Amy completed two half marathons following a short period of rest.
She now undergoes regular screening for any further skin cancer, but, thankfully, none has been detected so far. She continued: “This has been my only skin cancer of any type. I have other areas that have itched, which made me very (nervous).”
Amy is speaking out in the hopes of raising awareness about acral melanoma and how to spot the warning signs.
The American Academy of Dermatology Association says that a good way to check for the disease is to check any lesions or spots for what they call the 'ABCDEs', as follows:
- A: Asymmetrical
- B: Unusual, scalloped or undefined borders
- C: Different hues of colors, including tans, browns blacks or dots of white, red or blue
- D: Diameter that is greater than a pencil eraser
- E: The spot changes or evolves in size, shape or colour
The NHS warns that the main cause of the cancer is ultraviolet light which comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds. According to the website, factors such as age, having pale skin, large moles and a family history of skin cancer can all increase the chance of getting the disease.
It is recommended that you see your GP is you have a mole that has changed size, shape or colour, or has become painful, itchy, inflamed, bleeding or crusty. You should also make an appointment with the doctor if you have a new or unusual mark on your skin that has not gone away after a few weeks or if you have a dark area under a nail that has not been caused by an injury.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
