Melanoma March in Emu Plains raises funds for cancer research
Growing up in Queensland Keith Rowe of Bella Vista did not take sun safety seriously. But just before his 70th birthday, he had a tumour the size of a grapefruit on his left lung.
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Keith Rowe, 74, was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2004, at the age of 60 - but
it had not metastasised.
But it was just before his 70th birthday when he was told he had a tumour the size of a grapefruit on his left lung.
Growing up in Queensland Mr Rowe did not take sun safety seriously due to the lack of awareness about the dangers of the sun.
“I was a blonde-haired kid,” Mr Rowe said.
“I didn’t have freckles, but I did have fair skin with moles. Back in those days we didn’t even wear shoes as kids, let alone a hat.”
The first sign something wasn’t right was when he noticed a mole near his shoulder blade.
It was this primary melanoma that would spread into his blood stream.
“I was very fit and constantly training, so I didn’t show any symptoms of being unwell,” he said.
He went on an immunotherapy trial which would result in some severe side effects.
“My immune system went into overdrive, attacking all bacteria in my gut and that’s when I
developed colitis,” he said.
But he wants Australians to understand the role family medical history has to play.
“My mother died at the age of 41 from the melanoma,” he said.
“I am one of six children and my brother died at age 56 from the disease and two of my other siblings have also been effected by melanoma.
“The disease has been prominent on my mother’s side.”
Fortunately, the side effects were arrested and Mr Rowe no longer suffers any life-threatening side effects and feels fortunate to have been so far gifted another five years.
He is now a volunteer speaker for the institute and shares his story across the country.
Mr Rowe will be walking in the annual Melanoma March on Sunday at Regatta Park, Emu Plains to help the Melanoma Institute Australia and raise awareness and funds for melanoma research.
To register or make a donation: melanomamarch.org.au/