When a friend spotted the red lump on Georgie Rutherford's left arm in May 2019, the 34-year-old professional triathlete brushed off her pal's concern - and forgot it was even there. But four months later, on holiday, Georgie's brothers brought up the bump again. Worried it looked "big and angry," they urged her to seek medical attention. From the get-go, doctors assured her it was nothing more than a benign collection of visible blood vessels, so it took another several months for Georgie to finally have the lump biopsied and receive the news: "It was stage 2C melanoma," she says. "I went numb. How could this have gone from harmless blood vessels to cancer so quickly?"
THE STATS
Skin cancer remains one of the most common cancers worldwide, and while melanoma (its deadliest form) makes up only 1 percent of those cases, women under the age of 49 are more likely to develop melanoma than any other cancer except for breast and thyroid. Still, the diagnosis didn’t make sense to Georgie. Though fair-skinned with blonde hair, she had no family history of skin cancer. Plus, she was fit and energetic. “I assumed people with cancer felt sick in some way,” she says.
RUNNING THE RISK
Denne historien er fra January - February 2024-utgaven av Women's Health South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra January - February 2024-utgaven av Women's Health South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Irreconcilable Differences?
You’re one-upping your partner on all health fronts and now your relationship has more tension than your new resistance bands. Here’s how to get over the hurdle of mismatched goals.
Hot And Bothered
Inflammation is all the rage in health conversations right now and research is establishing it as a major player in all sorts of issues you don't want to deal with. But! You can safeguard yourself from the smokin' internal inferno with these smart strategies.
Self-esteem under the microscope
The term brings to mind positive-thinking memes with sunset backdrops and swirly lettering. But could I you sum up self-esteem when asked as part of a pub quiz? Didn't think so. And there's more at stake here than winning the points.
the reset
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO START OVER
Mind Over Muscle
Could you level up your strength training just by putting your mind to it?
ON BEING THE HEROINE OF YOUR OWN LIFE
Olympian. All-African Games winner. African champion. Record-breaker. Javelin athlete Jo-Ané van Dyk talks mental fortitude and what it takes to live up to your own hype. If there's one thing she can do, it's to throw down. And it's all about to reach peak levels.
Why Women Are Choosing to Be Child-Free
The choice can be liberating, yet stigmas persist. Here, how to cut through the noise with clarity and confidence to make the decision that's right for *you.*
FUEL YOUR SKIN
Inside your body, there's a crew of unsung protein heroes that scientists believe are the key to a healthy, glowing complexion. Heads-up: your routine is about to change for the better.
How To Be Decisive
You could use a Magic 8 ball to help you make a choice. Or, while you're waiting to 'ask again later', let our experts explain the best ways to get unstuck.
Build A Strong Base
You heard it here: the pelvic floor is the forgotten core - and you're selling yourself short by waiting for a specific life stage to train it. Your four-move workout is here.
