Gloucester woman diagnosed with cancer after chance encounter

A skin care consultant said she was shocked to learn she had two different types of cancer in a matter of weeks, after a chance encounter with a cancer nurse.

Jodi Holland, 43, from Coopers Edge, Gloucester, was given some cancer awareness leaflets by a nurse for a workshop she was holding at her workplace.

A few days later she noticed a dark black mole on her thigh, which was diagnosed as melanoma at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

After an operation to remove it, she was then diagnosed with breast cancer following the discovery of a lump.

“I was holding a workshop for my students on skin awareness when I was approached by a local nurse who asked if I would like some leaflets on what to look out for with skin cancer,” Ms Holland said.

“Then, a few days later when I got out of the shower I saw a black and brown mole on my right thigh, about 6mm in size.

“When I went to the hospital my appointment was with the same nurse who gave me the leaflets,” she added.

Ms Holland’s mother died from leukaemia when she was aged 14, and her father was diagnosed with the same condition in 2018.

Ms Holland was unable to shower after the surgery to remove the mole.

“I was washing with a flannel when I felt the lump,” she said.

“I went to the appointment thinking it would be OK but the breast cancer clinic told me it was breast cancer.

“I had to have chemotherapy and as my dad was being treated for leukaemia, I felt awful having to tell him the news,” she said.

Ms Holland is now being treated.

“When you hear those terrible words, ‘It’s cancer,’ all you want to know is you have the best possible chance of surviving.

“Whoever wins the general election, the next UK government must help make this a reality for cancer patients everywhere,” she said.