About me
I am 71 and have always enjoyed an active, outdoor life playing a variety sports over the past few decades.Golf has been my passion for the last 40 years having, played 5 of those in South Africa where the temperature in summer can be in high 30’s.

Although the heat was intense, I never wore a hat or put on sunscreen, a bad habit I took from here in the UK. The only occasion I put sunscreen on my face or body was when going on holiday with my wife, probably because I couldn’t get away with not wearing it, as she always insisted I apply it.

My experience
At the end of last year, I was playing golf at the club when an oncologist friend of mine noticed that I had a growth on my forehead, which I admit to picking the skin off every now and again, and would occasionally bleed. He suggested I go to see my GP because he thought it might be cancerous.

On seeing my GP, I was referred to our local hospital who on inspection said that the growth either needed a biopsy to confirm what it was or have it totally removed. I opted for latter and had the growth removed in January this year. The results came back that it was a basal cell carcinoma, a non-melanoma type of skin cancer.

My new routine
Thankfully no further treatment was needed but I was advised to wear a hat and sun protection at all times when playing any sports. Needless to say, that advice is something that I took on board and have now adopted as a new, healthy habit.

My advice
Ironically, I give health and safety advice to my golf club and should have known better, but it’s strange how you tend overlook your own health. I now tell my fellow members that when going out to play, wear a hat, take plenty to drink and regularly apply sunscreen. Don’t take a chance and be silly enough to think cancer couldn’t happen to you, after all, it happened to a golfer like me.