My Melanoma Story: How a Skin Check Changed My Life and Inspired Ombra & Sole

A few years ago, during my first pregnancy, I noticed a small mark on my ear. I went to get it checked and was told it was just “pregnancy pigmentation.” I felt reassured and didn’t think about it again.

Fast forward two years—I was now pregnant with my second child—and the mark had darkened and grown. Still, I assumed it was more pigmentation. It wasn’t painful or itchy. Just a mark. Easily ignored.

The Moment That Changed Everything

In December 2017, a friend’s mum was diagnosed with melanoma. It hit me hard. I hadn’t had a skin check in a while, so I booked an appointment—not thinking it was urgent, just routine.

By the time I got in, my daughter was already 12 months old. I walked into the dermatologist’s office completely calm. She examined the mark on my ear and took a biopsy "just to be safe." I left thinking it was nothing.

Two weeks later, I got a call: the results were unclear. I was referred to the Melanoma Institute at RPA.

Diagnosis: Melanoma

I met with Professor Saw, who said part of my earlobe would need to be removed for further testing. It still didn’t feel real—until I got the call:

"Your biopsy results came in… unfortunately, it is melanoma."

I dropped to the floor, crying, overwhelmed by fear and questions:

• What is melanoma?
• Will I survive this?
• What comes next?

Surgery and Recovery

The next day, I had my entire earlobe removed to ensure clear margins. The pain, the local anaesthetic, the hospital routine—it was intense, emotionally and physically. And still, there were more unknowns: Would I need plastic surgery? What would I look like? Would people notice?

When the bandages came off, I cried. Not because of how I looked, but because of everything I had lost—my peace, my confidence, my sense of safety. As a mum already covered in stretch marks and scars, it wasn’t vanity—it was grief.

Clear Margins… and a New Life

A few weeks later, I got the call: the new margins were clear. I cried again—but this time, out of relief.

Since then, my life has never been the same. I go for skin checks every three months. My new normal includes anxiety, vigilance, and the hope that early detection will always be enough.

Why I Started Ombra & Sole

This experience changed me forever—and made me realise how unprepared we are as Australians for the true risks of sun exposure. I founded Ombra & Sole because I wanted families, especially new parents, to have better sun safety options for their kids. I wanted gear that was actually protective, easy to wear, stylish—and backed by real purpose.

That’s also why we donate $1 from every purchase to the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation. Because this isn’t just about hats and sunglasses. It’s about awareness. About action. And about protecting the next generation from going through what I did.

Thank you for reading my story. And thank you for supporting our mission.

If my story encourages even one person to book a skin check, it’s worth it.

With love,
– Kara Giovenco, Founder of Ombra & Sole