Top model Tiffany Stanley has urged everyone to protect themselves against skin cancer, after losing her mum to the deadly disease.
The 32-year-old Kildare native lost her mother Sharon to melanoma last November. Her mother was just 58 years old at the time.
The tragedy has now inspired Tiffany, who worked as a model in Los Angeles for a number of years, to encourage others to protect themselves from the sun.
She also urged anyone who notices any differences in their skin to contact their GP.
Tiffany explained that cancer can come unexpectedly, and stressed the dangers that too much sun exposure can bring.
She said today: “I never thought this would happen to me until it did.
“I’m not going to lie, the last few weeks of mum’s life were horrific - there are no words for the pain everyone endured.
“Too much sun can kill you - this is very real and it’s dangerous. Prevention is key.
“Our family will never be the same but you can still keep your family as safe as possible.”
The Instagram star returned to Ireland last October, to spend time with her mother, a former veterinary nurse, before she died.
And Tiffany, who lost her maternal grandparents shortly before her mum, remains heartbroken over their deaths.
Earlier this year, she told The Sun: “It’s been a year of devastation for our family. Within eight months we lost granddad, then nanny, then mum. Basically my whole maternal side of the family who raised me.
“I feel very alone. I miss talking to them, telling them things, laughing with them.
“I feel like I’ve been robbed, my mum will never get to meet my children or see my life unfold.
“Each day gets a little better, but I know it will take many years to heal.”
Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in Ireland, with almost 12,000 cases reported last year.
But referrals have dropped dramatically during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Skin cancer referrals dropped by more than 75% at the height of coronavirus-related restrictions in April.
And they remain down by over one-third, according to the Irish Cancer Society.
Kevin O’Hagan, Cancer Prevention Manager at the Irish Cancer Society, said that catching cancer early can mean the difference between life and death.
He said: “It is vitally important that people are aware of any changes to their skin and contact their doctor if they spot anything unusual.
“Catching cancers early is key and can mean the difference between life and death in some cases.
This is very much so the case for certain types of skin cancers, with survival rates ranging between 90% and 20% depending on the stage of detection.
“Changes to look out for include the appearance of a new mole or an existing mole that has changed shape, size or colour, or other unusual spots or lumps.”
Anyone who detects changes in their skin can contact their GP.
