It took just 20 minutes to catch a killer: a Taranaki man’s skin cancer wake-up call
20 October, 2025
As part of Melanoma Awareness Month, Skin Clinic Taranaki is sharing a New Plymouth man’s story to highlight the importance of regular skin checks and early skin cancer detection.
For one Skin Clinic Taranaki patient, it started as a harmless-looking spot beneath their watch. Small. Brown. Easy to ignore. But over time, it darkened, changed shape, and quietly became life-threatening.
“I’d never had a skin check,” says the patient. “Not my finest thinking.” It wasn’t until a routine GP visit and a stroke of luck that the spot was flagged.
“My doctor asked me to roll up my sleeve. I chose my left arm, and she took a keen interest in the spot. She suggested I visit Skin Clinic Taranaki. I made the appointment as soon as I left.”
That decision saved this patient’s life, and it’s a reminder of just how common melanoma is in New Zealand.
Our country has one of the highest incidence rates in the world, with approximately 35 to 40 people per 100,000 diagnosed each year. That’s why regular skin checks aren’t just a good idea, they’re essential.
Dr Matt O’Sullivan at New Plymouth’s Skin Clinic Taranaki carried out a full skin check and identified multiple areas of concern. The forearm lesion was deemed urgent.
Within a week, it was surgically removed, followed by a second procedure to ensure clear margins, meaning no cancer cells were found at the edges of the removed tissue. The diagnosis: melanoma.
Thankfully, it was caught early and fully removed. A second lesion turned out to be a superficial basal cell carcinoma, which was suitable for treatment with a simple cream.
The patient was surprised at what was needed to ensure all the cancer was removed.
“A spot no bigger than 10mm led to a 100mm incision. It’s dramatic. I’ve shown photos to my extended family, lines of black stitches against pale skin are a powerful illustration of how quickly things can escalate.”
Now, he’s urging others not to wait.
“If you have any doubts, seek a professional opinion. Complacency is not a good idea when you notice changes in colour, texture, or shape. A total skin check is the only check that offers total certainty.”
Skin Clinic Taranaki offers a full range of skin checks, right here in our region. From spot checks and full-body skin assessments to mole mapping with total body imaging, our services are designed to catch skin changes early and support timely, effective treatment. With a team known for clinical excellence and genuine care, we’re helping Taranaki stay proactive about skin health.
Dr Matthew O’Sullivan says melanoma doesn’t always look dangerous, but it certainly can be. “Early detection is our best defence, and regular skin checks are quick, thorough, and often lifesaving. We’re here to make that process easy and reassuring for every patient.”
This Melanoma Awareness Month, don’t wait. Skin cancer doesn’t slow down, and neither should you. Keep an eye on your skin but know that the most effective way to catch changes early is with regular skin checks from the experts at Skin Clinic Taranaki.
A 20-minute appointment could save your life too.
Book now at skinclinictaranaki.co.nz or call our friendly team on 06 281 1698 – no referral needed.
Melanoma Awareness Month: Claim your free spot check & 20% off all sunscreen!
6 October, 2025
At Skin Clinic Taranaki, we’re proud to support Melanoma Awareness Month with a special offer that puts your skin health first. Early detection is key when it comes to skin cancer, and this October we’re making it easier than ever to take action.
Free spot checks for new patients
To mark this important month, we’re giving away 10 FREE single spot checks to new patients. If you’ve noticed a mole or lesion that’s changed in size, shape, or colour, or you simply want peace of mind, this is your chance to have it professionally assessed by our experienced team.
Skin cancer, including melanoma, is highly treatable when caught early, so don’t wait. A quick spot check could make all the difference.
Free spot checks are available to the first 10 new patients who contact us and mention this promotion. Valid for one mole or lesion check per patient.
20% off sunscreens all month
We’re also offering 20% off our full range of dermatologist-recommended sunscreens throughout October. These high-quality formulations are designed to protect your skin from harmful UV rays, one of the leading causes of melanoma and other types of skin cancer.
Whether you’re heading into the garden, out for a walk, or just enjoying the spring sunshine, make sure your skin is protected.
Flexible payment options available
At Skin Clinic Taranaki, we believe that access to skin cancer prevention and treatment should be stress-free. That’s why we offer Afterpay and payment plan options to help you manage your healthcare costs with ease. Whether you’re booking mole mapping, a full skin check, or cosmetic medicine or varicose veins treatment, speak to our reception team about the payment option that suits you best.
How to get your FREE spot check
Booking your free spot check appointment is easy. Just contact our friendly team and mention this promotion:
Let’s work together to raise awareness, catch skin cancer early, and keep our Taranaki community safe and sun-smart.
Farewell Dr Geoff Tvrdeich – honouring a legacy of care
4 July, 2025
After almost 30 years of dedicated service with the Carefirst Group, we bid a heartfelt farewell to Dr Geoff Tvrdeich as he begins a well-earned retirement.
As a founding clinician of the Carefirst Group and Skin Clinic Taranaki), Geoff has been a stalwart of the Carefirst Group leading with quiet strength and steadfast commitment to patient care.
Geoff’s leadership helped shape the foundation of our clinics, which continue to serve generations of patients.
His career was defined by clinical excellence and deep compassion, but it’s his enduring support for patients and colleagues, and his advocacy for skin cancer prevention and early treatment, that have truly left a lasting legacy.
Though we farewell Geoff, the journey continues. Our team of five experienced and dedicated skin doctors proudly carry forward the legacy he built, offering:
- Comprehensive skin cancer screening, diagnosis, and surgery
- Specialist non-invasive varicose vein treatments, led by vascular consultant Mr Steve Benson and sonographer Daryl Queenin
- Cosmetic & regenerative medicine, offering the latest in doctor-led aesthetic and medical treatments
We thank Geoff for his immense contributions – we’re honoured to continue serving our community with the same dedication he exemplified.
From the clinic to the board game: Skin Clinic Taranaki & Carefirst make Monopoly history!
13 March, 2025
A famous visitor popped into Skin Clinic Taranaki and Carefirst Westown recently.
The Monopoly Guy was out and about visiting many of the businesses and iconic Taranaki landmarks that are featured in the new Monopoly – Taranaki Edition, which we are so thrilled to be part of!
He was very busy during his visit, protecting himself with a thorough skin check with our Skin Clinic Taranaki clinicians, and a free flu vaccination ahead of flu season (seeing as he’s over 65) at Carefirst.
It’s a true privilege to support our incredible community with the gold standard in skin cancer prevention every day, and now we get to be part of your Monopoly adventures too! To get your own piece of Taranaki history, place your game order here.
Skin Clinic Taranaki team celebrate certification audit success!
4 October, 2024
Ensuring our patients receive the highest quality care is a priority at Skin Clinic Taranaki. One way that we do that is through three-yearly audits from the Designated Auditing Agency (DAA), with surveillance audits at 18 months post certification, or half-way.
We recently completed our latest audit and are proud to say we have retained certification to the NZS 8165 Rooms/Office-Based Surgery and Procedures Standard. This standards is set by industry leaders, providing a nationally consistent benchmark that we can measure our ourselves against.
Certification against these standards demonstrates our commitment to ongoing excellence in care for our patients.
It gives assurance to our team, our patients and our health insurance partners that we are practicing in a safe way, and that our systems, procedures and policies are up to date and being adhered to.
We’d like to acknowledge our wonderful SCT kaimahi/staff; a lot of time and effort goes into preparing for the audits. We also appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate the hard mahi/work our team put in every day to ensure the highest quality care and support for our patients.
Pictured L-R: Skin Clinic Taranaki staff Leigh, Becks, Anne, Estelle, Gillian Geoff and Rob with the certification audit certificate.
LIVE Magazine – Winter 2024: Expanding services to treat growing skin concerns
19 July, 2024
Have you spotted our Skin Clinic Taranaki team (part of the Carefirst Group) on page 73 of the latest Live Magazine?
We really value what our patients have to say about our services. We get such great feedback about our skin cancer prevention and treatment services, but we couldn’t ignore what our patients were telling us about their other skin issues that they also wanted us to be able to address.
So, last year we added specialist, non-invasive varicose vein treatments to our services, and now high quality, individualised cosmetic medicine! These include anti-wrinkle injections, dermal fillers, skin rejuvenation therapies and surgical scar removal.
Give us a call on 06 281 1698 or email reception@skinclinictaranaki.co.nz to book an appointment. Click the link below head to page 73 to read the full LIVE Magazine article
Winter 2024 | Live Magazine
