Sometimes, all it takes is a little push from the people who care about you.
For David P., that nudge came from his wife and daughters — and it may have saved his life.
“My daughters had been on me for a while to get checked. I have some moles on my head and one on my neck, and they kept saying, ‘You have to go,’” David said. “And my wife was saying the same thing. She’s actually the one who finally made the appointment for me.”
Though it had been on his mind, it was their persistence that made it happen.
“I just hadn’t made it a priority,” David admitted. “But my wife and daughters were persistent. I’m sure they’ve got a whole thread of text messages asking me if I’d made the appointment yet,” he said with a laugh.
A First Visit That Made a Big Impact
When David arrived for his appointment, he met with Austin Maddy, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist who had recently joined Quincy Medical Group (QMG). In fact, David was Dr. Maddy’s very first patient at QMG.
“He was great. Very easy to talk to — really congenial,” David said. “Everyone there made the experience really comfortable.”
During David’s full skin exam, one mole on his neck caught Dr. Maddy’s attention.
“It was probably one of the least noticeable ones, but he said, ‘I don’t like that one. I think we should test it.’ So he numbed it, scraped off a sample, and sent it in,” David shared.
A few days later, Dr. Maddy called with the results.
“He told me, ‘We found something. It’s melanoma. We caught it early, but I’d rather talk in person.’ And he said he’d make time whenever it worked for me,” David said. “I came in the next day, and he walked me through everything — what it was, how serious it can be if untreated, and what the next steps would be. He made it all really simple to understand.”
Caught Early, Treated Quickly
David’s melanoma was removed by QMG dermatologist Sumul Gandhi, MD, FACMS.
“He was great too. It was in a spot where the skin’s a little tight, so they had to take a good-sized section to be safe. But it was all done in-office. They numbed it and it didn’t hurt,” David said. “The whole thing took about an hour, and I came back about a week later to get the stitches out. It healed up well — no pain, just some tenderness as it heals.”
Understanding the Risks
Dr. Maddy shared that while there are several types of skin cancer, melanoma is the most serious.
“Melanoma is much more serious. It’s more deadly than other types of skin cancer and can present in many different shapes, sizes, and colors,” Dr. Maddy explained. “It most commonly appears as an irregular brown to dark black patch, but it doesn’t always show up in sun-exposed areas — and it can be pink, red, or even look like a normal mole. That’s what makes it tricky.”
Because melanoma has the potential to spread to lymph nodes and vital organs, early detection is critical.
“I’ve had plenty of patients come in for routine skin exams with no concerns, and we’ve been able to catch melanoma early — before it had a chance to spread,” Dr. Maddy said. “A full body skin exam really can be lifesaving.”
He also emphasizes that while sun exposure increases the risk of skin cancer, genetics can play a role, too.
“Melanoma can be linked to sun damage, but the most common type — superficial spreading melanoma — is often not associated with chronic sun exposure. That’s why it’s important to get checked, even if you don’t spend a lot of time in the sun or have no family history,” he said.
A Simple Exam That Could Save Your Life
“I honestly never thought anything was wrong,” David said. “No family history. No symptoms. Nothing that really concerned me. Even when Dr. Maddy said it was melanoma, my first thought was, ‘OK, well then take it out.’ I didn’t realize how serious it could be until he explained what melanoma is and how quickly it can become dangerous if left untreated.”
That conversation helped it sink in.
“It made it real for me,” he said. “Some people avoid going because they’re scared, and others brush it off like it’s no big deal. But if you catch it early, it’s treatable — and it really can be that simple.”
David will now return every three months for follow-up checks and encourages others to make skin exams part of their regular care.
“It’s honestly easier than a physical,” he said. “You’re not getting poked or anything. No shots, no blood pressure checks — they just look at your skin. If everything looks good, you’re out in 15 minutes. We think we know our own skin, but we don’t. It’s so easy to get checked, and it can make all the difference.”
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