It was a visceral lesson and, while my moles later got the all-clear, only time will tell whether there will be a further price to pay for this and all the other more minor burns I failed to avoid over the years.
It was a terrible time, but many have learned this lesson in harder ways, and it has cost some Kiwis their lives.
The Cancer Society says skin cancers are the most commonly diagnosed cancers in New Zealand. According to Melanoma NZ, most skin cancer deaths are due to melanoma, with more than 300 Kiwi lives lost each year.
This week, we reported that in the western and eastern Bay of Plenty, primary care providers diagnosed more than 1800 melanoma in the past four years - excluding private care.
Diagnosis data for the Rotorua and Taupō lakes area was not available, but nearly 300 people there were waiting to have non-melanoma skin cancers excised.
Tauranga’s Miles Spence and Rotorua’s Piet Otto know the fear of an unexpected melanoma.
Spence was a farmer and always wore a hat, but it was still his head where the melanoma turned up - twice. Otto was always outdoors and surfed often growing up - hatless, shirtless, sunblock-less - and believed it was during these youthful years when the damage was done.
Both have changed their habits in the sun and take steps to protect themselves every day.
I’ve learned my lesson, too. I have become a stubbornly shady lady — especially in that fortnight of sunshine we had over Christmas between bouts of heavy rain.
I bought a big hat and long-sleeved togs, top up my sunblock often and follow the shade around like a shadow - to the point I took a little ribbing for it over Christmas.
But whenever I felt awkward standing in the shade or embarrassed by my ghost-like sheen in SPF50 waterproof sunscreen, a quick glance at that mass of freckles on my shoulders was enough to remind me of last summer’s burn.
The pain was temporary, but the regret runs deep.
If I’m not more careful, the next reminder will be a scar — or worse.
