Up-and-coming legal professional and representative netball player 26 year-old Sam Marshall was diagnosed with Stage III melanoma in 2022.

Currently nearing completion of a Bachelor of Laws and Environmental Science, Sam was just 25 years old when she discovered a lump in her groin, nine years after having a mole removed from her leg when she was 17.

Unlike her peers who were continuing to discover new horizons, Sam’s world suddenly turned upside down with regular scans, procedures and treatments including extensive surgery to remove lymph nodes from her groin, as well as targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

Since her diagnosis, Sam has continued her studies whilst also working within the Australian Public service in her role as an associate before recently moving into her current legal-economic assessment role.

Growing up in Sydney’s north-west, Sam was captain of her high school, Gilroy Catholic College, Castle Hill as well as a keen sportswoman competing at state level in netball. For many years, she also umpired and coached several teams with NSW’s Metro League and M-League, some of the state’s top netball competitions.

As someone so young to have experienced a potentially life-threatening diagnosis like melanoma, Sam is passionate about raising awareness of melanoma amongst younger people and is a keen supporter of Melanoma Institute Australia’s advocacy campaign to stop the glamourisation of tanning in advertising, social media and media.

‘Melanoma is the most common cancer affecting 20–39-year-old Australians. I hope my story can help young people understand the potential long-term consequences of spending too much time in the sun and change the way they think about tanning. Having a tan is not safe, and if you don’t look after your skin, melanoma may appear when you least expect it many years down the track.’