Gill a tower of strength for cancer sufferers

Gill Nuttall

WHEN cancer tore Sarah Swindell’s life apart, she chanced on a fellow Shaw women who helped her piece it back together.

That person was Gill Nuttall who is the founder of a charity which helps thousands of people around the UK hit by the devastation of melanoma.

Sarah (43) — whose desperate battled against stage 4 melanoma and her quest to fund her only chance of long-term survival was featured in the Chronicle in June — has nominated Gill for a Pride in Oldham Award for being “one in a million” and an immense tower of strength.

Based in Church Road, Shaw, Melanoma UK, run by Gill, her husband Mike and a small team of dedicated volunteers, has been so influential and essential in its field it is now part of the Government’s melanoma taskforce.

It contributes to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) during the appraisals of treatments and is part of several study groups throughout Europe.

It is also the only melanoma charity to offer support to advanced patients and their families.

And it all began when a very close family friend called Jon Herron was diagnosed with melanoma back in 2002.

“Looking back, I didn’t think for a moment that melanoma would take his life — I was probably guilty of just thinking of it in terms of skin cancer – a mistake that many people still make,” said Gill.

“Jon relapsed in 2006, again in 2007 and sadly, he died in May, 2008, aged just 30. When I realised he was terminally ill, I started looking for a treatment for him – I trawled the world twice over and found nothing.

“I decided that I would raise some awareness of melanoma, do some fundraising and walk away once I’d achieved that goal.

“I guess the message is be careful what you wish for, because as time went on, it became apparent that patients needed more and more support and I was filling the gap that existed in patient advocacy and support.

“Melanoma UK is now a registered charity and I work full time in patient advocacy and awareness.”

Gill is joined by husband Mike, who works hard behind the scenes, Oldhamer Andy Worthington who became involved after his niece was diagnosed with melanoma, Paul Sutcliffe, from Oldham, who has melanoma and was the brains behind a fundraising Formula One calendar, and Joann Wheeldon who runs a small support network for people who have been bereaved through the disease.

“ I couldn’t give the support that I do to patients if I didn’t have this strong team behind me,” said Gill.

“Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer. It is a very brutal disease and advanced melanoma has no cure.”

Psychiatric nurse Sarah said she found incredible strength in Gill and the Melanoma UK team — who she stumbled upon by chance — after a very harrowing experience with the cruel condition.

She says she has also found a great friend in Gill.

“Before Gill came into my life I felt alone and isolated,” said Sarah.

“I found Gill and Melanoma UK by Googling support groups for melanoma. To my surprise I couldn’t believe she was only five minutes away from me!

“I believe people come into your life for a reason and at the right time. She has given me so much support, information and a shoulder to cry on. Without her I wouldn’t know about recent up-to-date treatments.

“Gill is a one-in-a-million, lovely lady. She works tirelessly and has watched so many lose their battle with this awful disease but she still manages to carry on.”

Commenting on her nomination Gill said: “I was absolutely delighted when I found out I had been nominated for a Pride in Oldham award, not least because the nomination came from a patient that I’ve been supporting.

“While this is my job, it is really difficult to think of it as a job.

“It has no core hours, there are days when I hear a patient story and the sadness is overwhelming and then there will be a day when we hear of a breakthrough in the treatment of melanoma and patients gain a new sense of hope.

“I am very humbled that I was nominated by a patient - that makes it all the more special.”

For more details, visit www.melanomauk.org.uk