AN outdoor worker has issued a major warning after being diagnosed with skin cancer at just 33 years old. Paul revealed he received the melanoma diagnosis after noticing a freckle on his ear had changed. The Donegal man teamed up with the HSE to share his story and urge people to be vigilant for skin cancer symptoms .
He stressed the importance of knowing what your skin usually looks like so you can identify any changes . In a video from the HSE as part of their SunSmart campaign, Paul shared his diagnosis story saying: "I was diagnosed with having a melanoma skin cancer on my ear at the age of 33. "In December 2023 I noticed a freckle had slightly changed on my ear and it turned into a wee brown spot.
"I passed no heed as I was back boxing at the time and I thought maybe I just got hit on the ear." However, Paul revealed when the spot was still there after a few months a friend questioned him and warned it could be melanoma. The friend told Paul: "You know that's not good if something appears like that it could be a melanoma.
" After doing some research following the friend's warning Paul made an appointment with his doctor to get it checked. The doctor told Paul the signs they would look for are shape, size, colour, pattern and colour and all were present. Paul had been working outdoors since he was 16 and admitted he had not been protecting his skin over the years.
0utdoor workers are exposed to two to three times more UV rays than people who work indoors. Figures from the .