'I wasn't worried about skin cancer, so my check shocked me'
A radio producer has said he never suspected he could be at risk from skin cancer until he had a check as part of a campaign launched by a former colleague.Mitchell Barwell, 27, was working at a BBC Radio Derby Sun Safe event as part of a campaign in memory of presenter Colin Bloomfield, who lost his life to melanoma in 2015.During a quiet moment at the event, Mitchell decided to get checked himself - and was told to make an urgent appointment with a GP about a mole on his back.The GP then sent Mitchell to see a dermatologist and he is now on a waiting list for urgent two to three week surgery to remove the mole.
Mitchell said: "Even if it is nothing, in the future it could have been something and I'd would have never known. It could have been there for years developing, and get to a point where it has a worse outcome.""When you're younger, there's a naivety to think anything's ever going to be wrong with you. "So when they said maybe there is something, it did throw me off a bit. I was properly shocked at first."I thought 'I don't even take my shirt off really, how can I have something that's mostly caused by sun damage on my back?'"I think when you let it sink in a bit, it doesn't matter what age you are really. These things can affect anyone."Before Colin Bloomfield's death on 25 April 2015, the 33-year-old spearheaded an initial project, with help from the Nottinghamshire-based charity Skcin, to try to prevent similar cases.It resulted in 479 people having their skin checked by experts, more than 100 of whom were sent for further tests.
Mitchell says he had no concerns about the mole on his back before he had it checked."I was never concerned at all. I don't go out in the sun, really. I'll go abroad occasionally and go in the pool, but if I do go in the sun, I'll have sun cream on," Mitchell added. "I have quite a lot of moles on my back, but they've been checked before and I was told they were fine."I'm grateful that I went for the check. I would never have known. "I never got to know Colin. The stories you hear about him make him sound like such an amazing person. "Without him, who knows if this campaign would've been running. The work he did to make sure others don't suffer the way he did is just brilliant."The number of people being diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in the UK is increasing, according to Cancer Research UK.There are also non-melanoma skin cancers, which are generally more common and usually less serious than melanoma.Cancer Research UK says common symptoms of skin cancer include a sore or area of skin that:Does not heal within four weeksLooks unusualHurts, is itchy, bleeds, or scabs over
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
32 minutes ago
- The Sun
Popular summer children's toy sold on Amazon is urgently recalled over ‘serious risk of injuries'
A POPULAR children's toy has been urgently recalled after it was found to have a "serious risk of injuries". Parents have been warned not to let their kids use the item. 2 2 The Soppycid Reusable Water Balloons have been removed from the online marketplace following the safety concern. The toy was available in a pack of six on Amazon for £18. "The product presents a serious risk of injuries because it contains accessible magnets with a magnetic flux index that exceeds the acceptable level," the product's risk description reads. "Small, high-powered magnetic products can easily be swallowed and, when ingested, have the potential to cause serious internal injuries within the gastrointestinal tract. "The product also requires improvement to marking, labelling and documentation." It comes after a children's or even drowning. The Joycat Baby Float, sold on Amazon, has been flagged as a safety risk. Authorities found that its attachable canopy could lift the float from the water in windy conditions, putting children in danger. The alert was issued in the UK following a border inspection. The blue and yellow sea-themed swim seat, intended for babies and toddlers, poses a 'serious risk of injuries', according to the Product Safety Report. 'Contaminated' fish sold at Aldi across 3 states recalled as 'life threatening' ingredient found – check date on label If the float becomes airborne, a child could be thrown out and suffer an impact injury or drown. The alert was issued in the UK following a border inspection. The Office for Product Safety and Standards also issued a recall for the Get Set Play Jumbo Balloon Pumper over concerns that the product could shatter. The red and blue plastic water balloon pumpers are available at shops like B&Q and The Works. It contains 300 multi-coloured balloons which can be inflated using the pumper. However, the product design failed to include a mechanism to prevent it becoming over-pressurised. Smyths have also pulled a magic tricks box from the shelves after a chocking hazard saw it fail to meet safety requirements.
The Sun
32 minutes ago
- The Sun
Hundreds of thousands of Universal Credit claimants to lose nearly £100 a week in Government overhaul
HUNDREDS of thousands of people on Universal Credit are set to lose almost £100 per week under Government plans. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) previously announced plans to scrap the health component of Universal Credit for under-22s. 1 At the moment, the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) element for Universal Credit is applied to most adults aged between 16 to 21 if they're struggling to stay employed due to health issues. But charity Disability Rights UK is now saying the Government plans will affect almost 110,000 disabled adults. It says they will lose nearly £100 a week if the changes come into effect. That equates to almost £400 a month, or £4,800 over the course of a year. The charity says the move will mostly impact disabled young people who are described as NEET - 'Not in Education, Employment or Training' - and are having difficulties getting into the job market. But it will also affect young people who are in work but are in low-paid or part-time jobs and are using Universal Credit to top up their earnings. Disability Rights UK says on its website: "The proposed policy will not just impact young disabled people who are NEET, but also many young disabled people who are in education. "Despite barriers to students claiming UC, it is often possible for those in non-advanced education who have passed the August after their 19th birthday to successfully claim UC as an adult. "Under the current system, low-income families with a disabled 19-year-old already have to contend with a drop in income of at least £29.25 per week when their child stops being treated as a dependent and starts claiming UC in their own right. "However, under the Government's proposal, young disabled people aged under 22 would only receive £73 rather than £170 per week, meaning a much greater drop in household income." I'm on Universal Credit & I don't know how to survive - I even lost £600 because my husband decided to get a job, it's just impossible The Government unveiled a huge benefits shake-up earlier this year as part of plans to save about £5billion a year in welfare payments. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said the current system is failing millions with one in 10 working-age Brits now on sickness or disability benefits. She said spending on disability benefits has spiralled by £20billion since the pandemic and pledged to fix the 'broken' system with a reform package. Part of the Government's plans include getting people back into work while protecting the most vulnerable. Research suggests removing access to the health element of Universal Credit for under-22s will not impact 73% of 16 to 24-year-old Brits who fall into the NEET category. How much Universal Credit can you get? TRYING to work out how much Universal Credit you can get can be overwhelming. There are so many different elements that can affect your claim and it makes the whole process even more complicated. There are several free calculators that you can use to help you get an estimate, such as Citizen's Advice, MoneySavingExpert, StepChange and Turn2Us. You will need: Details of all your income, such as existing benefits, tax credits, earnings from employment and your pensions, Details of your partner's income if you're married, in a civil partnership or living with someone as a couple. You will be assessed as a couple Information on any savings you have, How much you pay in council tax per year, and whether you get any discounts, reductions or exemptions, Details of your rent or mortgage payments, Employment and income information about anyone else living with you, such as grown-up children, Details about your carer's allowance if you receive it. You'll need to make sure that the information provided is as accurate as possible to get the truest estimate. What other benefits changes have been announced? The Government's proposed benefits shake-up will see a number of changes come into effect. One that has gained lots of attention is a crackdown on eligibility, particularly for those claiming the main disability benefit Personal Independence Payments (PIP). The number of claimants is expected to double by 2030, with the biggest rise among young people and those with mental health conditions. But from 2026, new claimants will need to score at least four points in one category to qualify as part of a plan to curb the rapid rise in payouts. These are some of the other changes planned:
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
I took a risk and ordered a £269 bed from Shein – it's complete with storage, LED lights and even charges my phone
MANY of us will have ordered clothes, shoes or maybe even holiday accessories from Shein, but did you know that you can buy beds from there too? Recently, we've seen shoppers take the risk and nab themselves fresh new sofas from Temu, but now it appears that people are beginning to order box-fresh furniture from Shein. 4 4 4 4 A mother named Shaks explained that she 'wanted to take a risk' and bought herself a brand new bed frame from Shein. While she recognised that it was confusing to put together, she was thrilled with her new bedroom purchase, which cost her just £269.99. Not only does it have LED lights and four storage drawers, but it's even got a charger port too - yes, you heard that correctly. Eager to show others her new bargain buy, Shaks took to social media and gave her followers a close-up look at the functional bed frame, which is a gorgeous linen beige. Showing off her Flieks Upholstered Bed, which is still available to order online, Shaks said: 'I bought a bed from Shein so you don't have to.' Showing off the process of putting the frame together, Shaks explained: 'Well, to start off with, those confused the instructions - the Shein manufacturer needs to redo them because we had to undo, start again about three, four times.' The content creator then showed off the bedside charging port and storage drawers. Following this, she shared: 'It was looking a bit small at first but it actually worked out great. 'I can honestly say, you can buy your bed from Shein - it even comes with LED lights.' The LED Light Bed, which has four storage drawers and a slatted frame, was originally priced at £519.98, but has now been reduced to £259.99. The surprising Shein buy that will bring your tatty old garden furniture back to life - and prices are as cheap as £3 In a follow-up clip, just weeks after getting the bed, Shaks revealed: 'It's still standing, it's firm, it's strong, the colour is good.' Despite this, the mother acknowledged: 'The only problem that I find with this bed is that it's too low, so if you've got back problems I personally wouldn't recommend it.' What is Shein and is it legit? Shein is an online-only fast-fashion retailer, based out of China, that has become a number one shopping destination for many around the world. The company was valued at $66billion in 2023, dwarfing that of popular high street brands Zara and H&M. The fashion retailer was founded in late 2008, by entrepreneur and marketing specialist Xu Yangtian, also known as Chris Xu. Shein is a legitimate selling website and is not a phishing scam. But you may receive a disappointing order or run into shipping issues if you order from the site, according to reviews. There have been swathes of quality complaints, which makes sense when looking at the price tag. Having said that, she recognised that the bed, which doesn't come with a mattress, is 'good for Shein.' Social media users react The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ shaks6, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly gone viral and racked up a jaw-dropping 20.3 million views. Not only this, but it's also amassed 1.4 million likes, 4,665 comments and 125,800 saves. Social media users were left stunned by the affordable bed and many eagerly raced to the comments to express this. One person said: 'I didn't know they sold beds.' Another added: 'Buying a bed from Shein is so crazy.' A third commented: 'DON'T TEMPT ME.' Whilst another user wrote: 'At this point, they have everything. They need to start selling Mr. Right too now man.' And it's not only Shaks that shared a positive review of the purse-friendly bed, as online Shein shoppers have also raved about the furniture. One shopper beamed: 'Sooooo good, easy to assemble and even comes with a charging port. I am in love!!!' A second simply penned: 'Absolutely love!' Whilst another praised: 'Lovely bed, love the USB and the lights. The drawers are a bonus, quite spacious.'
