DESPITE the prognosis of only days to live, Adrian Saltmarsh is more concerned about his family's welfare and spreading one simple message.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
That message is to cover up and continuously get any odd-looking spot on your skin checked.
Mr Saltmarsh hopes that his ordeal with melanoma will warn others about the damaging effects of the sun.
After telling his story to The Advocate in December 2014, Mr Saltmarsh has been completing months of clinical trials, requiring him to travel every month to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre in Melbourne.
Despite ticking all the boxes and excelling through the trials, on his last day of trials in June, he was told that a spot had appeared on his brain.
"They organised an MRI scan within 30 minutes and then later that day they told us they had found five lesions, the largest 8mm," Mr Saltmarsh said.
He said the recently discovered spots were so small the doctors were amazed they were detectable.
Within 20 days of starting radiation on the five spots, Mr Saltmarsh's wife Kelly said they were given the news that there were 27 lesions on Mr Saltmarsh's brain.
Now awaiting the swelling on the brain to subside, Mrs Saltmarsh said her husband was given a prognosis of weeks to live.
However, the pair were told on Monday that Mr Saltmarsh had only days remaining.
"When you hear 'days', it's a little bit scarier," Mrs Saltmarsh said.
Having dealt with the prospect of death for some time, Mrs Saltmarsh said her husband's concerns now centred on her wellbeing and their three children: Caitlin, Matthew and Tiffany.
"All will be good, I have a loving, wonderful family," Mr Saltmarsh said.
Mr Saltmarsh's melanoma was discovered after he had a mole on his abdomen checked.
Having never exposed his abdomen to the sun, Mr Saltmarsh didn't understand how the mole was a melanoma.
Despite the years of trying to protect his skin, he learnt the sunburns on his arms and face over the years had caused the melanoma on his abdomen due to the skin being one whole organ.
Mr Saltmarsh said he hoped his journey with melanoma would educate others on the dangers of the sun.
For more information on being safe in the sun, visit: www.sunsmart.com.au.
