File image of Sam Billings© BCCI/IPL
England wicketkeeper batsman Sam Billings has revealed his battle with skin cancer and now wants to raise awareness among fellow players about the dangers of sun exposure. Billings underwent two surgeries last year to remove a malignant melanoma on his chest, he posted on his social media handles on Tuesday. He was diagnosed with skin cancer after a routing screening in his county of Kent.
“I had a melanoma that was 0.6mm (deep). The threshold at which it gets really serious is 0.7mm, so very close.
“If I had left that screening to go to the meeting, and waited until my next six months later, it could have been much, much more serious. The margins are so small, but could have huge consequences,” says the 31- year-old told the Telegraph.
Billings has played three Tests, 28 ODIs and 37 T20s for England. He currently plays county cricket.
He said his battle with the dreaded disease has put things in perspective for him.
“It gave me the clarity to make decisions based on what I want to do, rather than maybe just walking the line and seeing that I’m doing the right thing.
“I’ve tried that over the years and it’s sometimes resulted in me carrying drinks. You realize cricket isn’t everything. It’s hugely important but you have to put things in perspective. It’s also given me a lot more made. empathetic.” He warned fellow players and fans about the dangers of spending too much time in the sun.
“I’m not just talking about the professional game. It’s club cricketers, people who watch the game. I played at Lord’s recently and the sun was shining, even if it wasn’t 25 degrees. It may have only been 18, but you can still burn by the sun.
“We treat it (applying sunscreen) as a bit of a chore because the education around it isn’t as good as it is in countries like Australia. I’d like everyone in cricket to work together: the sun is shining so let’s protect ourselves” he added.
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