A 32-year-old mother, Rachel Olivia, warns Australians to practice sun safety after discovering a “pimple” on her forehead was actually cancer. Initially appearing overnight, the spot turned into a large brown scab over two years.
Rachel initially dismissed a small, red mark on her skin, thinking it was just a pimple. However, after it failed to heal and kept flaking, she had it frozen off. When it still didn’t heal, she insisted on further tests, and a biopsy confirmed it was skin cancer. Despite being cautious about sun exposure, Rachel’s past teenage sunburns led to her diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma, a non-melanoma skin cancer.
While relieved it wasn’t melanoma, she was still shocked to have cancer, given her young age. She was prescribed Aldara, a topical chemotherapy treatment, and though it’s been non-invasive, the process hasn’t been easy. In six months, she may still need surgery if the treatment doesn’t fully resolve the cancer.
Rachel has faced challenges while undergoing skin cancer treatment, including being cautious not to get the cream on her baby at night. The process has been confronting, as a small spot turned into a much larger issue. She documented her journey online, sharing her experiences, including attending a wedding while continuing her treatment. Despite the difficulties, she has received an outpouring of support and used her platform to advocate for sun safety.
Many followers shared how Rachel’s story inspired them to take action, with several booking skin checks after seeing her content. Some even mentioned similar spots they had ignored but decided to get checked after watching her videos. Rachel is now in the healing phase after stopping the Aldara treatment, with the scab still healing. She has been reassured by others that she may only be left with a minor scar, like from chickenpox.
@rachel.olivia_ Replying to @belle ♬ original sound – Rachel 🍒