Rachael Griffiths, a 42-year-old mother of two from Lynemouth, Northumberland, died on October 7 after a battle with melanoma that had spread to her lungs. Her family is now setting up a charity in her memory.
Discovery and treatment
Rachael first noticed a change to a mole on her hand in 2019, when she was 35. The mole was raised and had a small tail, and she asked her mother, Denys, a retired nurse, whether she should get it checked. After removal, she was diagnosed with melanoma and underwent a skin graft at the RVI, as the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes.
She began immunotherapy but did not tolerate it, then had targeted therapy for a year and was five years clear. During the coronavirus pandemic, she was unable to ring the end of cancer treatment bell due to isolation. In 2024, scans revealed the cancer had returned and was incurable.
Final months and family tributes
Rachael underwent radiotherapy and finally rang the end of treatment bell, but three months later the cancer spread again. Her mother Denys said: "She never complained, she was never bitter. She never said why me, even when she was diagnosed. She just got on with it."
Her son Finlay, 18, told ChronicleLive: "She was one in a million. She was a very supportive and loving mam and very funny. She never lost her sense of humour." Rachael leaves behind Finlay and her daughter Kianna, 13, who now live with her parents.
Charity and awareness
Before she died, Rachael asked that any money raised go towards setting up a small charity to help people battling cancer make memories with their family. She chose the name 'Because of Rachael'. Her family is now setting up the charity, with more than £1,800 raised on Go Fund Me and more than £500 at her funeral.
Rachael's family is urging people concerned about a mole to get it checked straight away. Denys said: "It spreads to all parts of the body. It doesn't just remain in the skin." Peter added: "Just get checked!" The NHS says a new mole or a change in an existing mole may be signs of melanoma.
