Young Aussie woman diagnosed with melanoma despite regular skin checks reveals how the mole was always missed – and how she finally realised something was wrong

A young Australian mum has admitted she was blindsided by a melanoma diagnosis at just 29 because she never thought it could happen to her.

Annelise Mortimer, now 32, was juggling full-time work, postgraduate study, and raising her 18-month-old son when she received the news just days before Christmas in 2022.

Despite having annual skin checks, the mole on the back of her leg was overlooked time and time again.

‘I arrogantly assumed melanoma was something older people got,’ Annelise, from Wollongong, admitted.

‘I was never a sunbaker, never used tanning beds, but I had been complacent about sun safety – something I think is generational.’

It wasn’t until a family member pointed out that her mole looked ‘really dark’ that alarm bells rang.

‘That comment prompted me to get a second opinion at a specialised skin clinic,’ she said.

‘It was around Christmas time, and I was lucky to get a cancelled appointment.’

Doctors immediately expressed concern over the small yet clearly abnormal mark.

‘I had no symptoms other than the changes in the mole itself,’ she said.

‘It was irregular in shape, asymmetrical, darkening, and growing in size. That’s what prompted me to have it removed and biopsied.’

By the end of the week, it was removed and sent for testing. Then came the devastating call.

Just two days before Christmas, Annelise was diagnosed with Stage 2 malignant melanoma.

‘The first thing I thought was that my life might be cut short,’ she said.

‘At first, I thought the spot had been removed and I was in the clear, but then the realisation hit – what if it had spread?’

Melanoma is one of Australia’s deadliest cancers, with one person diagnosed every 30 minutes.

It is also the most common cancer in young Australians aged 15 to 39.

Because of the stage and thickness of Annelise’s melanoma, there was a real risk it had spread to her lymph nodes.

‘The hardest part was the uncertainty – waiting for results, wondering if the cancer had already spread through my body,’ she said.

‘The back of my leg looked like a shark had taken a bite out.’ 

She underwent further surgery – a wide excision to remove extra tissue and a lymph node biopsy to check if the cancer had metastasised.

‘That was the most frightening part – knowing that melanoma can move beyond the skin and into your organs without you even realising,’ she said.

‘The timing and me catching it when I did contributed to the positive result I received.

‘If I had left it any longer, I might be telling a very different story right now. That’s something I think about a lot – what could have happened if I hadn’t acted when I did. 

‘I was very much on the cusp of potentially moving into a further stage.’

Thankfully, her results came back clear.

Though Annelise avoided further treatment like chemotherapy or immunotherapy, she’s now at a much higher risk of developing melanoma again.

‘I have to get skin checks every three to six months,’ she said.

‘My clinic maps every mole on my body to track even the smallest changes.’

Since her diagnosis, she has had multiple spots removed as a precaution.

She now warns young Australians not to make the same mistake she did.

‘I used to think a bit of sunburn here and there didn’t matter,’ she admitted.

‘Growing up with a pool, a tan was desirable. But when your life might be cut short, you quickly realise – there is nothing healthy about a tan.’

She’s urging others in their twenties to take skin cancer seriously.

‘You never think it’ll be you, until it is,’ she said.

‘People need to wear sunscreen, cover up, and check their skin regularly. Melanoma doesn’t discriminate by age.’

The hardest part of the ordeal, Annelise revealed, was facing her own mortality as a young mum.

‘I didn’t want to think the worst, and that’s just my nature – I have a very positive attitude, so I tried to stay as positive as possible throughout the whole experience. But personally, it did take a toll. 

‘I suppressed a lot of my fears. As a mum, I kept thinking, “Am I going to be here for my son?”

‘It’s horrific to start thinking about that at 29-years-old. At night, when I was alone, I would lie awake dreading what could happen.

‘I had just started a family, was advancing in my career, studying at university, and doing all the things someone my age should be doing. Then suddenly, this happened, and it could have changed everything.’ 

Annelise shared that support from her family meant ‘everything’ to her at the time.

‘Emotionally, my family was very supportive. My husband Nick was there for my surgery, dropping me off, picking me up, and supporting me through the procedures. 

‘My family cooked meals, helped with childcare, and were there to talk. But I think, as with any serious diagnosis, it’s difficult for others to fully understand unless they’ve been through it themselves.

‘My son was too young to understand what was happening, which in some ways was a blessing. But having support around me to care for him was invaluable.’

During recovery, she struggled with basic tasks like walking and caring for her toddler.

‘An 18-month-old is very active, and I was quite immobile,’ she said.

‘I was very lucky to have a supportive partner and family to help.’

Now, she’s more vigilant than ever – not just for herself, but for her young son.

‘I haven’t let this stop me from living my life – I still go to the beach, I still swim,’ she said.

‘But I’m very particular now. Sunscreen, hats, covering up – my son is growing up knowing how important sun safety is.’

Annelise’s story is a stark warning ahead of Melanoma Awareness Month, with Melanoma March events taking place across Australia this month to raise funds for life-saving research.

‘When I was diagnosed, I felt incredibly isolated – I didn’t know anyone my age who had melanoma,’ she said.

‘Through the Wollongong Melanoma March, I’ve met others like me. Everyone’s story is different, but we all share the same goal – to make people take melanoma seriously before it’s too late.’

She encourages every Australian to check their skin and book a professional skin check.

‘If I had ignored that mole for even a little longer, I might be telling a very different story right now,’ she said.

‘I was lucky – but not everyone is.’

What signs should I look out for when I check for skin cancer?