Importance Score: 70 / 100 🔴
A woman who initially dismissed a lump beneath her eye as mere “troublesome skin” has disclosed the frightening moment she learned she had skin cancer.
Jessica Zbinden-Webster, hailing from London, was working at the House of Commons when a swelling beneath her eye suddenly burst.
Embarrassed, Jessica consulted a general practitioner and was promptly diagnosed with skin cancer at the age of 26.
The Diagnosis
“The doctor took one look at me and said, ‘That’s skin cancer,'” Jessica, now 33, shared. “He could swiftly identify it as basal cell carcinoma, the most prevalent form of skin cancer.”
“However, he couldn’t determine that it was an invasive tumor. Despite appearing harmless on the surface, it was growing beneath my skin like the roots of a tree,” Jessica, formerly a communications officer in Parliament, explained.
The Surgical Intervention
When Jessica underwent surgery a couple of months later, the surgeon had to remove her entire lower eyelid due to the tumor’s extensive spread.
With her youth, good health, and lack of sunbed use, Jessica’s advanced cancer was quite unusual.
The Causal Factor
The sun damage she endured as a child was the culprit behind her illness.
Now a dedicated cancer awareness advocate, Jessica, campaigns for the government to reconsider taxing sunscreen as a “luxury product” meeting signed by prominent political figures.
The Misconceptions
Jessica recalled, “I was constantly outdoors, playing, and would often get severely sunburned because of my fair complexion.
“I now realize that just one severe sunburn during childhood or adolescence can double the risk of developing skin cancer in adulthood.”
The Early Signs
Prior to her diagnosis, Jessica perceived it as a clogged pore beneath her right eye. Although it was an unusual location, she attributed it to the same skin issues she had experienced in her late teens and early 20s.
“But the growth persisted—it worsened and expanded,” Jessica said. “I downplayed its significance because, based on my uninformed understanding, I believed that lesions causing no itching or pain couldn’t be harmful. Now I understand that’s incorrect.”
Within two months, Jessica was on the operating table, and her treatment spanned two consecutive days.
The Surgical Procedure
She underwent Mohs surgery to remove the skin surrounding the tumor. Doctors conducted real-time tests to ensure the tumor margins were entirely removed. “This was performed under local anesthesia,” said Jessica.
“Although it’s a remarkable service provided by the NHS, it’s quite unpleasant and somewhat claustrophobic.”
The following day, Jessica underwent a skin graft procedure. Due to the extensive tissue loss, the surgeon took skin from her inner arm to cover the gap left by the tumor.
Within 48 hours, she transitioned from having a cancerous tumor in a precarious area to being cancer-free.
The Aftercare and Recovery
“While I’m grateful that the cancer was swiftly eliminated, the aftercare and recovery process were considerably longer and are still ongoing, seven years later,” she said.
Jessica elaborated that as skin grafts heal, they merge with the blood supply of the area they’ve been grafted to.
“During the healing process, the graft reddens, elevates, contracts, crusts over, and it can distort the adjacent features,” she explained.
Ongoing Skin Issues
If the skin around your eye contracts too severely, as it did in Jessica’s case, it can impair eye function. Since her initial treatment, Jessica has undergone four laser surgeries over the years. She emphasized the importance of massaging her skin graft daily and dealing with its ever changing texture.
The Campaign for Sunscreen Accessibility
Jessica has launched an open letter urging the government to abolish the 20% ‘luxury’ tax on sunscreen.
The Misclassification of Sunscreen
Currently, sunscreen is classified for tax purposes as a luxury or cosmetic item due to its 20% value-added tax (VAT) rating.
The letter, endorsed by influential figures like Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, and the head of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, calls for the government to reclassify sunscreen as an essential healthcare product.
This reclassification would improved its accessibility and encourage customers to view it as indispensable.
The Future of Skin Cancer Prevention
Other signatories include notable groups such as the British Skin Foundation, Young Lives vs Cancer, and Melanoma Focus, along with a chorus of Britain’s leading dermatologists, physicians, and public figures.
“Sunscreen’s current classification contradicts the advice from dermatologists to apply it daily,” Jessica stated.
The Impact of Childhood Sun Exposure
She continued, “It also negates the fact that it can be prescribed free of charge for individuals with photosensitivity.The way sunscreen is taxed sends out a harmful message to the public about sun safety. It makes sunscreen appear optional rather than essential when it comes to safeguarding public health.”
Babies and children’s sunscreens are also taxed in the same manner and fall under the same luxury category. As Jessica expressed, “The sun damage incurred during childhood is of great significance to health outcomes in the future.”
Since the early 1990s, non-melanoma skin cancer incidence rates have more than tripled in the UK, as per Cancer Research.
Nevertheless, the disease can be prevented through various methods, including applying sunscreen, seeking shade, and covering up.
The Misconceptions Surrounding Skin Cancer
Additionally, there are several harmful myths about who can be affected by skin The prevalence of skin cancer.
“Lots of people envision the typical skin cancer patient as a septuagenarian who has been sunbathing for years,” Jessica said. “In reality, that’s not the case. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.”
Jessica had no family history of skin cancer when she was diagnosed. “My parents were heartbroken when they found out I had it in my 20s,” she said. “I’m thrilled they’re taking their sun protection more seriously now.”
The Advocate’s Journey
Now a dedicated skin cancer awareness advocate, Jessica devotes significant time to enhancing outcomes for others. Although Jessica is not restricted in UV usage with pasties or long sleeved clothing, she is a self-proclaimed “sunscreen enthusiast,” frequently switching products. Currently, she alternates between SKIN|CYCLES Lumina Shield and La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios spray, it’s use dependent on the Day’s UV ranges.
“The best sunscreen is the one you’ll apply consistently,” Jessica noted.
“Sunscreen is the best sun safety measure as you can participate in outdoor activities while being protected from harmful UV radiation.”
The Urgent Call for Change
“Britain’s skin cancer rates represent a public health emergency,” Jessica affirmed. “We can’t tackle the disease by taxing its solution.”
She declared, “This Skin Cancer Awareness Month, I’m urging the Chancellor to eliminate the ‘luxury’ levy on sunscreen. It will not only save consumers and the NHS money but also save lives.”