Mortgage snub led to cancer op

RELIEVED Caroline Begg's mortgage application saved her life-because insurers rejected it after spotting a cancerous mole.

The 29-year-old was refused cover when assessors saw the suspicious blemish on her back mentioned in her medical records. And after the worried receptionist had it removed, tests showed she had skin cancer.

Caroline immediately went under the knife again to have more moles taken away, before finally getting the all-clear.

Last night Caroline, of Glasgow, said: "Applying for that mortgage saved my life.

"I gave permission for them to check my medical records and didn't think there would be a problem.

"When I got a phone call saying I had been refused I was shocked.

"I asked if that meant they thought I was at risk of dying - when there was an awkward pause at the end of the line I knew the answer was 'yes'."

Caroline had gone to her GP about the mole and was referred to Glasgow Royal Infirmary, where medics said it looked harmless but advised her to have it removed as a precaution.

But she admitted: "All I could think about was the idea of being left with a scar on my back. I told them to leave it."

Months later, she applied for the mortgage and was turned down by life insurance chiefs.

Caroline blames her cancer on years of sunbathing and sunbed sessions as a teenager. She added: "My own vanity almost cost me my life."

Caroline, who still needs regular check-ups after her ordeal three years ago, is now working with Cancer Research UK and backing their Sun Smart campaign.

The charity's Katy Scammell said: "Using a sunbed may seem like a quick fix for a summer glow, but the damage can last a lifetime."

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