Super proud to welcome Steve, the newest addition to join our Melanoma UK Ambassador team. 

Steve was diagnosed with melanoma in 2010 and the words "you have got cancer" changed his life forever. Steve was treated and finally discharged in 2016 but melanoma had other plans because in 2017 he found a lump in his groin and instinctively knew the melanoma had spread.

Steve openly admits that he did what a lot of men do and had never faced his fears or emotions. He put on a brave face but on the inside he was feeling more vulnerable and developed two coping strategies that 'helped' him avoid these powerful emotions - drinking to excess and running. He drank to forget and ran to run away from his thoughts.

It was after his operation in 2017 that Steve turned a corner and decided to address his mental wellbeing. 

Part of Steve's role as ambassador for Melanoma UK will be to help with our new Health & Wellbeing programme starting with embedding the findings of the All Can UK report: Out Of Sight But Not Out Of Mind. This report motivated Steve to support others with Mental Health issues and ignited his passion to raise the profile of mental well being in the world of cancer.

Steve said "to be able to put psychological wellbeing on the same level as physical wellbeing is so important - it balances the scales and without balance we cannot live as we should."  Steve is passionate about psycho-oncology and really wants to increase the focus and support on mental well being.  He said "that’s under my control and influence…it’s down to me.  That’s where I can be in control of cancer, otherwise it could control me and I’m not gonna let it!"

Steve has been a tremendous source of inspiration for many people dealing with melanoma - this man is a force to be reckoned with and we are delighted to have him on the team. 

Welcome on board Steve!

Gill & Diane x

CLICK HERE TO MEET ALL OUR AMBASSADORS