Nagging and pestering to get 'tiny spot' checked helped save husband's life

But for Kevin Sherrie, it's the reason he's still alive today.

When Mr Sherrie's wife Robyn noticed a "tiny spot" on his back, she too, was on his back to get it checked out.

A GP and a dermatologist told Mr Sherrie there was nothing to worry about, and just to ignore the spot, but as a precaution the Tamworth businessman asked the dermatologist to remove it.

Two weeks later he got a phone call alerting him it was melanoma.

"That saved his life," Mrs Sherrie said.

"He would have probably died as a result if that little lesion was ignored."

More than two decades later, Mrs Sherrie was also diagnosed with melanoma, after she got a pale brown spot on her upper arm checked.

"Things can sneak up pretty quickly, and if they're missed or overlooked, it can be quite a drastic situation," Mrs Sherrie said.

The husband and wife make up just a small fraction of the number of people diagnosed with melanoma every day, with one person finding out they have the cancer every 30 minutes in Australia.

One person dies from the disease every six hours.

Mrs Sherrie told the Leader she had always been extremely sun safe and vigilant due to a family history of melanoma.

"Anyone can get a melanoma," she said.

Mrs Sherrie's was a pale brown spot, which she said is very different to what many people might think a melanoma looks like.

"Don't have a fixed idea about what a melanoma looks like," she said.

"Melanomas come in many shades of the rainbow, including almost colourless, which is quite terrifying."

Mr and Mrs Sherrie's daughter Katherine was overseas when she received the call from her mum about the diagnosis.

"When you hear the words melanoma, it's pretty scary," Katherine told the Leader.

The 33-year-old is among those aged 20 to 39 who are most commonly affected by melanoma.

"I think among my generation tanning is still glamourised," she said.

"I hope we can spread awareness to protect your skin."

Katherine will be stepping up to help stomp out skin cancer when she takes part in the Melanoma March in Tamworth on Sunday March 24.

The march helps to raise vital funds for melanoma research and provide an opportunity for patients and families to come together to offer support, and remember those who have lost their lives.

This will be the second year Katherine has participated in the march, and is hoping for a "good turnout".

The march will start at 10am at Bicentennial Park on Kable Avenue.

Registrations and donations can be made online.