Queensland woman’s life saved after suspicious mark spotted during facial

A Queensland woman has praised her beautician for saving her life by spotting something very wrong while giving her a facial.

A mum says a facial saved her life after her beautician spotted suspicious marks during a pampering session – which turned out to be cancerous.

Jillian Murray had originally noticed a suspicious mark on her chest in June last year but says she was relieved when a doctor told her it was nothing to worry about.

However, the 62-year-old’s beautician of six years, Leigh Murphy, spotted the mark in October while pampering Jillian with a skin treatment and warned her that she should get a second opinion.

The mum-of-one immediately made an appointment with a skin specialist and was left stunned when she was diagnosed with a stage two melanoma on her chest and basal cell carcinoma on her nose.

Jillian after surgery which saved her life. Picture: Picture: Kennedy News and Media

Jillian had two operations in November and December to remove the cancer before it spread into her lymph nodes and says that without Leigh, 41, she probably wouldn’t be here today.

Jillian, from Cairns, Australia, said: “It’s amazing for a beautician to find it when a doctor missed it first. She’s worth her weight in gold. She’s bloody ace.

“I’m a very lucky lady. Without her expertise I wouldn’t be here and my doctor said I won the lotto with her.

“When I tell her she’s saved my life, she gets goosebumps, she’s overwhelmed and she’s so pleased that her training has taught her what to do.

“I’ve been seeing Leigh for a few years. She went over me like a fine-tooth comb. She told me on a Friday that the mark needed to be looked at so I booked in the following week.

“I was getting my skin cleaned and she said she didn’t like the mark on my chest. It looked like a red bruise. As soon as she saw it, she said I need to get it looked at as soon as possible.

“Prior to that, about six months before, I saw another doctor and they told me to put a cream on it and said nothing to worry about, it’s fine.”

The blemish on Jillian’s chest that Leigh thought was suspicious. Picture: Kennedy News and Media

Jillian had previously been told the mark was nothing to worry about. Picture: Kennedy News and Media

Jillian, who owns a childcare centre with husband, Paul, 58, was diagnosed with melanoma above her right breast and basal cell carcinoma on her nose.

She underwent her first operation at the end of November but had to go under the knife again in December where doctors had to go four centimetres deep to remove the cancer.

Jillian said: “I went to a skin cancer doctor and he didn’t hesitate to take a biopsy. I found out it was cancerous four days later and they didn’t muck around.

“I had two major operations in less than three weeks. I was in overnight for the first one but they didn’t get all the melanoma so we had to wait two weeks then they had to go in deeper.

“I was in ridiculous pain. I was cut very, very deep and I still don’t have feeling in my right breast or chest.

“When I found out it was cancerous, I was a mess, shaking, I couldn’t comprehend, I thought my life was over, thought it would be in the blood system.

“I didn’t know the extent of how horrific it was. It was really bad. If it gets in your bloodstream, it’s bad.

Jillian is still healing following the surgery. Picture: Kennedy News and Media

Jillian Murray and her beautician, Leigh Murphy. Picture: Kennedy News and Media

“I was just outside of the margin so they didn’t have to take my lymph nodes out and I have to be checked out every three months.

“I looked disgusting but I’m healing now and my doctor can’t believe how well I’m healing because I’m using vitamin B. My face is good but make up covers it, my chest is pretty bad. I’m still scarred and I will be forever.”

Jillian praises Leigh for saving her life and the pair have formed a friendship as the beautician has supported her throughout her recovery.

Leigh said: “I’m so happy I was able to help my friend as the oncologist advised that if it was left any longer it would’ve gone into her lymph nodes.

“I use an Asap SkinCare in my salon and a Super B serum that has been amazing on Jillian’s scars. In April, I will start to do some radio frequency micro-needling treatments.”

Jillian said: “Without Leigh, I wouldn’t be here. We’ve become friends but she’s a lot younger than me. I think she’s a gorgeous girl.

“I brag about her and tell people to go and see her because she does her job and she’s very caring. She’s very professional. I’ve probably sent a good few people to her.

“My family are so grateful for Leigh.”