Sam Billings Reveals Skin Cancer Battle, Warns against Sun Exposure in Cricket
Billings is currently playing the County Championship 2023. (Twitter)
Sam Billings, the talented wicket-keeper batter for England, has opened up about his battle with skin cancer, which involved undergoing two surgeries to remove the dangerous cells from his body. The Kent-based cricketer took to Twitter to share his experience and raise awareness about the importance of using sunscreen while playing under the sun.
Billings recalled taking part in a skin cancer screening arranged by his county cricket club in 2022, where a doctor identified a mole that “didn’t look great.” Following the procedure to remove the suspect mole, it was discovered to be a melanoma, a type of skin cancer that can be life-threatening if left untreated.
“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 margins are so small but can have massive consequences.
It did give me the clarity of making decisions based on what I want to do rather than maybe just toeing the line and being seen to do the right thing. I have tried to do that over the years and it’s sometimes resulted in carrying drinks. You realise that cricket isn’t the be-all and end-all. It’s hugely important but you need to put things in perspective. It’s also made me much more empathetic,” Sam Billings said to the Telegraph.
In addition, Billings emphasized the significance of using sunscreen and cautioned the cricket fraternity about the perils of prolonged exposure to the sun.
Billings’ candid admission serves as a timely reminder of the hazards of playing cricket under the sun and highlights the need for players to take appropriate precautions to protect their skin from harmful UV rays.
 "Vaibhav Tripathi")
