Irish tradie issues warning to expats after shock diagnosis

An Irish carpenter living in Sydney has shared a health warning for other expats after he was diagnosed with a fatal skin cancer.

He has since been sponsored by his employer for a skilled visa and hoped to gain permanent residency in Australia.

However, last month, Quinn received devastating news, throwing all his plans out the window.

Quinn was diagnosed with aggressive melanoma, with doctors believing the skin cancer was caused by his high UV exposure in Australia.

The tradie said the diagnosis came as a terrible shock as there were no suspicious moles to alert him to the cancer.

“I didn’t have any spots on my skin or anything,” he said.

“One night I went to bed and when I woke up I couldn’t move my leg.”

Alarmed, Quinn went to the doctor, who ordered a number of scans and tests.

The scans discovered a tumor in Quinn’s brain, which was later confirmed as a BRAF-positive melanoma.

Cancerous growths were also found on Quinn’s kidney and tailbone.

Although most melanomas appear as a distinct mole or spot, in rare cases there may be no outward marking on the skin at all.

There are also some melanomas, called amelanotic melanomas, which have no pigment and do not appear dark. These lesions may be pink, red, or flesh-colored.

Doctors told Quinn that the growing tumor on the left side of his brain was pressing on his nerves and blocking the signals that allowed him to use his left leg.

Quinn said he was not aware that Australia has one of the highest levels of UV radiation in the world, but he said he had been fairly careful about his sun exposure during his time here.

“I always cover myself with clothes and sunscreen. I wasn’t even at the beach much, I’d rather go camping,” he said.

It may have been his white Irish skin that made him vulnerable, Quinn said.

He urged all expats and Australians to be careful in the sun.

“You just have to take care of yourself, cover up and wear sunscreen,” he said.

Quinn has already undergone one course of radiation and has since regained the use of his left leg.

He is now receiving immunotherapy, where the medication is targeted at his specific cancer mutation.

As a temporary resident, Quinn is not eligible for Medicare, and each cycle of immunotherapy can cost up to $15,000.

Quinn’s sister and boyfriend have started a GoFundMe, which has already raised more than $50,000 for his treatment costs.

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