THE SUMMER holidays are upon us and in the current heatwave, with families looking forward to long days in the sunshine, one woman is encouraging everyone to stay safe and protect their skin.

Jenny Jefferies, 68, from Chiseldon, is recovering from squamous cell carcinoma – a type of skin cancer usually caused by overexposure to the sun.

Jenny, who works in the food hall at Marks and Spencer, is also a mum of two, grandmother to three and husband to Jeff. She’s keen to spread the word about the dangers of sunburn and to urge people to protect their skin – and to check any worrying skin problems with a doctor.

She was diagnosed less than a year ago, in September 2017. Unfortunately, she had waited many months before getting a skin complaint checked out.

“I had an area on my leg that itched for about a year. When I scratched it, it bled and just would not heal. I didn't bother going to the doctor, I just put antiseptic cream on.

"Then my husband commented on it and I made an appointment with the doctor. I was immediately referred to the hospital where cancer was diagnosed,” she said.

“I had never been a big sun-worshipper, and I didn't go abroad until I was 21, but as a child we ran about in shorts and t-shirts but sun screen was unheard of.

“I have three grandchildren and so I impress upon their mothers to use high-factor sun screen on them at all times to prevent them having skin cancer in later life. I’d encourage anyone else to do so as well – it’s not worth the risk.”

It is perhaps not surprising Jenny neglected her own health – she and her husband had faced a challenging time together. Their B&B business in Italy was badly damaged in an earthquake in 2016.

The year before that Jeff was diagnosed with liver cancer, and he had chemotherapy and a liver transplant in Birmingham in 2016.

“He became ill when we were driving across France on the way back from Italy,” she remembered. “I was driving in the fast lane on the motorway when he had a seizure. I managed to pull across to the side of the road.

"Luckily there was a man cleaning the toilets and he came to my aid. They shut the motorway and two surgeons came out on a motorbike. He was on life support for several days.”

On their return to Britain, Jeff was treated at the Great Western Hospital and the diagnosis was made. Fortunately, the transplant worked well and he is back to full strength now, though he has to attend twice-yearly checks and takes medication.

Having supported her husband during his illness, it was now Jenny who faced cancer. She remembered the moment she was given the diagnosis:

“When I got the results of the biopsy I was met by a group of people. One was the plastic surgeon, and one was the Macmillan nurse. When I saw her, I thought uh-oh. “

Before her treatment began, Jenny and a mapping biopsy at the John Radcliffe in Oxford to discover the extent of the cancer, and on January 11 she had an operation to remove it. She came out of hospital a couple of day slater and was told to elevate her leg for a week.

“After surgery I was a mess. I felt disgusting. The wound was much larger and deeper than I had envisioned. I was in pain and couldn’t sleep and the wounds were weeping,” she said.

“I can normally work through pain and I don't easily give in. So, after three days at home my husband phoned to make an emergency appointment.

“Tina immediately took control, explaining to me that I didn’t have to struggle through, and making me feel that I had a safety net.

“This proved to be very true, from feeling like a piece of oozing flesh, I rapidly relaxed into being cared for and with the care of the team I started to heal both physically and mentally. That may sound dramatic but that’s how I experienced it.

“I’m not a wimp, but cancer hit me sideways and nothing can prepare you for it. That said, the aftercare I received certainly speeded up my recovery.”

Tina Phillips, a Macmillan skin cancer clinical nurse specialist, said: “Most skin cancers are caused by exposure to the sun. This may be long term exposure, or short periods of intense sun exposure and burning. Using sunbeds can also increase your risk.

“Most people are aware that changes in the size and shape of moles is a potential symptom to look out for, but because there are actually three different types of skin cancer there are a number of other symptoms too.

“What’s most important is that if you notice anything unusual on your skin that doesn’t go away in a month, show it to your doctor. It might help to take a photograph of anything unusual, so you can check for any changes.”

Around 136,000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year which makes it the most common type of cancer by far. The earlier it is diagnosed the easier it is to treat.

Jenny paid tribute to the skin cancer team at Great Western Hospital, and the plastics dressing team.

“They were wonderful. Nothing was too much trouble for them,” she said.

And Jenny paid tribute to Tina, her Macmillan nurse. As well as helping with Jenny’s physical recovery, Macmillan supported her sense of well being, inviting her a Pamper Day.

“They treat you an individual, and they do an amazing job,” she said. “They also think about what’s going on inside your head. That’s very important.”

Jenny has made a good recovery – though she says she will never be able to wear a skirt again because of the scars on her leg. But she has a very determined and positive outlook, and while both she and her husband have faced potentially fatal health challenges so recently, she is looking to the future.

“You put it behind you, and you get on with the rest of your life,” she said.

“I’m not what this is all about – I’m here because I want to warn others to be careful. Protect yourself from the sun, and if you see anything go to the doctor, or the nurse at the surgery, and get it looked at. Check your back.

“If I hadn’t gone to the doctor it would have spread, and once it gets into your lymph nodes it can get into other parts of the body. It could have killed me.”

According to Macmillan, both basal cell and squamous cell cancers can appear in a variety of forms. They are usually painless and grow slowly. They can show up anywhere on your body but are most likely to appear on exposed skin, especially on your face or neck.

For more information on signs and symptoms, go to Macmillan.org.uk or call 0808 808 0000.