Published: May 09, 2023, 07:37 PM (IST)
Edited: May 09, 2023, 07:42 PM (IST)
New Delhi:Â England’s wicket-keeper batter Sam Billings revealed his battle against skin cancer last year on Tuesday. He used Twitter to tell fans about his battle and how he got two operations to get it removed from his chest.
“Last October I had a bit of a reality check, two operations to remove skin cancer off my chest put cricket on the back burner for a little while and into perspective,” Sam Billings wrote on his Twitter.
We all are pretty blasé when it comes to putting suncream on but it really has to change. As cricketers we’re exposed to the sun so much and we can all be more diligent.
Cases have doubled over the last 20 years and will continue to double again over the next 20 years.
— Sam Billings (@sambillings) May 9, 2023
Great the @PCA have teamed up with @lifejacketskin !
Last October I had a bit of a reality check, two operations to remove skin cancer off my chest put cricket on the back burner for a little while and into perspective. pic.twitter.com/bV1mgsHlLj
— Sam Billings (@sambillings) May 9, 2023
“We all are pretty blasé when it comes to putting suncream on but it really has to change. As cricketers, we’re exposed to the sun so much and we can all be more diligent. Cases have doubled over the last 20 years and will continue to double again over the next 20 years, ” he also urged for the use of suncream by his fellow cricketers.
“I had a melanoma that was 0.6mm (deep). The threshold of when it gets really serious is 0.7mm, so really close. If I had left that screening to go to the meeting, and waited until my next one six months down the line it could have been far, far more serious,†the 31-year-old told the Telegraph.
“The margins are so small but can have massive consequences,†Billings added
The wicket-keeper batter represented England in 3 Tests, 28 ODIs, and 37 T20Is. Billings is currently playing in the county championship 2023.
