Emily Hayward's story – skin cancer

Emily Hayward was diagnosed with malignant melanoma (skin cancer) when she was 17 in 2011 after discovering a mole on her calf. In 2013 a scan revealed the cancer had returned and had spread to her lymph nodes, and later to her lungs, liver and brain.

Emily shared her journey through her own YouTube channel, showing her regular trips to the gym and her daily life with her partner, Aisha. Emily didn’t want to be defined by her diagnosis. She wanted to raise awareness of melanoma and to also show that you can still live life to the full while going through cancer treatment or facing a terminal diagnosis.

Emily also felt it was important to show the raw side of cancer, which isn’t often shared. She took her camera to appointments and documented the side effects of treatment.

One video shows her shaving her head before having chemotherapy; in another she talks openly about how tired she is and that her speech has become affected.

After hearing that the tumours in her brain were no longer treatable in March 2018, Emily proposed to Aisha. Together they organised a wedding and married the following month.