Melbourne dad fighting melanoma for the sake of his kids

AS they celebrated the joy of meeting their baby girl, this young Victorian couple had to come to terms with the fact that she may grow up without her father after a shock melanoma diagnosis.

FOR Charles Gardiner, the joy of meeting his baby girl was tempered by the reality that she may grow up without him.

A decade earlier, a suspect mole on his back had been given the all-clear, lulling him into a false sense of security.

It was only when the 40-year-old’s wife noticed it had changed in its appearance, an observation backed up by his cousin, that he decided to get it assessed again.

SIMPLE SYMPTOMS DOCTORS MISSED

Charlie Gardiner with his family, Lukas, 9, Callan, 7, Chloe, 5 months, wife Natasha and family dog Danny. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“Life is busy, I’ve got young kids and a job I enjoy and I just didn’t think it was something that I would have to worry about,” Mr Gardiner said.

“I was healthy and strong, chasing around my kids.”

Around the same time they were told the mole was melanoma, the young couple discovered they were expecting their third child.

Fortunately the cancer was still contained — capable of being cut out of his back, along with one lymph node.

One month after baby Chloe was born, scans revealed the cancer had spread, requiring a second round of surgery to remove 32 lymph nodes.

Charles Gardiner found out the melanoma had returned just after his daughter Chloe was born. Picture: Supplied

While most parents would be consumed by the blur of sleepless nights and nappy changes, Mr Gardiner and his wife Natasha also had to contend with hospital appointments, surgeries and scans.

“My wife is so tough, she just wanted to enjoy being pregnant one last time, and just after the baby was born, I had to go and have intense surgery and I was out of action for four to six weeks.

“She had to look after the new baby and the boys.”

BLASÉ VICTORIANS RUN SKIN CANCER GAUNTLET

STUDY REVEALS THOSE MOST AT RISK OF SKIN CANCER

Mr Gardiner has stage three melanoma and was lucky enough to secure a place on a drug trial for an immunotherapy drug at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

“I’ve got lots to fight for,” he said. “And I’m very thankful that I’ve had all the treatment I can, and now it’s just a waiting game.”

Thirty Australians are diagnosed with melanoma each day, which claims 1,200 lives a year.

The family will take part in the Melanoma March on Sunday to raise awareness and funds for lifesaving research: www.melanomamarch.org.au

[e-mail]

@Lucie_VDB