After learning that she had melanoma at the age of 20, a young Australian woman has brutally warned others. In an attempt to treat the condition, Melbourne resident Teish Ward had surgery in 2019 to remove the skin cancer and 11 lymph nodes. Additionally, Ms. Ward underwent immunotherapy and chemotherapy for a year and a half. She is now cautioning others to take precautions when they are at the beach with friends.
How Baking In The Sun Affected Teish!
Teish warns people to cover up while going to the beach, as the baking sun caused her a brutal diagnosis. She warned others that even though others would think such things wouldn’t happen to them, it might happen to anyone as it happened to her. Twenty-year-old Teish Ward, who was diagnosed with melanoma, has advised Australians against “baking in the sun.” She said that she had grown up along the beach, and even though she wore a hat and sunscreen, she also got tanned and laid in the sun.
A freckle was first discovered on the back of the 20-year-old Ward by her sister Georgia. Every time Ms. Ward scratched, the lump bled, which caused panic in her. She decided to visit her doctor a few days later to have the illness examined, and she soon learned of the awful diagnosis of melanoma. The doctor stated that Ms. Ward would need surgery to eradicate the illness from her body. She quickly downplayed the severity of the news and insisted that she would be alright if the mole was removed by surgeons. She was taken to Alfred Hospital and had the malignant tissue on her back removed in just four days. Eleven lymph nodes, which are tiny tissue clusters that fend off infections, were also removed by surgeons as they had developed cancer. Ms. Ward had five lymph nodes removed from one armpit and six lymph nodes removed from the other.
However, a week after the surgery, doctors told her that although the cancer had progressed, they were still optimistic that it might be healed entirely. Ms. Ward shared that the doctors informed her that she was in stage 3C melanoma, which was very unfortunate. Due to her advanced disease, Ms. Ward had months of PET and MRI scans in addition to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. After completing her treatment in 2020, Ms. Ward decided to raise public awareness of the causes of skin cancer and the dangers of sun exposure. Ms. Ward, who is still battling the disease, will receive her final round of tests in August.
The Launch Of GT Skin
Ms. Ward developed an alternative to tanning on the beaches with the launch of GT Skin in 2021. With this brand, Ms. Ward and her sister Georgia launched fake tan products. The official website of GT SKin notes that Ms. Ward’s diagnosis changed their lives, and later the idea of the brand was born. The core passion of the founders is to spread a message of sun safety and educate society on the causes of skin cancer. The sisters noted that society lacks awareness of the dangers of harmful UV rays. They believe that educating people is as important as providing high-quality products.
The mission of GT Skin is to empower people to enjoy the outdoors without the need to compromise on skin or health, and they aim to promote sun-safe behaviors with a natural-looking tan that nourishes and protects the skin.
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In Australia, melanoma is the third most frequent cancer, affecting one in every 17 people who receive a diagnosis. In 2023 alone, more than 18,200 Australians received a melanoma diagnosis.