Wollongong Melanoma March cancer patient's one simple message

The 68-year-old was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma late last year, but then, as his doctor told him, if it wasn't for major breakthroughs in the treatment of cancer, he'd be lucky to be walking at all by March.

"When I was first diagnosed, I went to a doctor called Dr Bruce Ashford, and he said, 'Tony, if you were diagnosed with this 10 years ago, you wouldn't have too much longer to go.'"

Mr Tate is one of the beneficiaries of the groundbreaking research of Professor Georgina Long and Progressor Richard Scolyer, who were jointly awarded Australian of the Year earlier this year.

With treatment based on their research, Mr Tate's melanoma has shrunk. He will soon have a meeting with his specialist, to decide whether to continue with immunotherapy or if the cancers will shrink away altogether.

It's a far cry from the other patients Mr Tate sees in the waiting room who have borne the brunt of chemotherapy. In contrast, Mr Tate is living a relatively normal life, with the only difference being some discolouration in his skin.

"If that's the worst thing, so be it."

Not all of the stories shared between walkers at this morning's Melanoma March have such a happy ending.

Some walkers walk for those they have lost, like Dr Danielle Camer who was walking for her late husband Clint Shumack, while others are there to support family members who are undergoing intensive treatment.

This year's run of events has raised $472,101 so far, which will go towards life-saving research such as that done by Professor Long and Professor Scolyer.

Mr Tate said he hoped the insights that generated his life-saving treatment can go towards other kinds of cancer, but in the meantime, the self-described boofhead that left his own melanoma for too long had one succinct message.

"Go and get checked," he said.

"Make it a thing that you do with you and your doctor, if you've got the smallest lump, the smallest difference in appearance of your skin, go and get checked."