Cate Campbell reveals melanoma scare on Instagram

Swimming world record holder Cate Campbell has revealed how she avoided a potentially deadly scare.

SWIMMING world record holder Cate Campbell has revealed how she avoided a potentially deadly melanoma scare.

A month after claiming the Olympic program swimmer of the year award, Campbell detailed how she was diagnosed with stage one melanoma.

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“Holy Moley! A friendly reminder to everyone to get their skin checked!” Campbell said on social media.

“Last week I finally went for a long overdue skin check (because skin checks seem to be one of those things that are always overdue) and discovered that I had a stage-one melanoma.

“No need to panic, it was safely removed, but it developed in a mole that I’d had my whole life (my nickname as a kid was Many Moles).”

The revelation comes two years after fellow swimmer Mack Horton revealed how he had a mole removed at the suggestion of a fan.

Melanoma is reportedly the fourth most common cancer in Australia and claims the lives of about 1500 people each year.

Having posted a photo of a lengthy scar on her right arm, Campbell said she would return to the pool this week.

The scare caps off a successful year for the 26-year-old, who broke the world 100m freestyle short-course record this year after taking 2017 off.

Campbell won three gold medals and a silver at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and five gold at the Pan Pacific Championships.

She was recently voted Australia’s sportswoman of the year.

Campbell and sister Bronte followed coach Simon Cusack from Brisbane to Sydney earlier this year to prepare for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.