A malignant melanoma caused Claire Bostock, national account manager at HSBC Life, to change her outlook on life and realise you can earn more money, but you can’t earn more time.
Speaking from the Women in Protection 2025 stage yesterday, Bostock (pictured) told delegates dermatology is the biggest reason customers use HSBC Life partner online GP service, Square Health.
Mole checking
Bostock said mole checking in particular has become really common and that she had her own experience with a malignant melanoma 18 months ago.
“I had a mole on my back and I couldn’t see it obviously because it was on my back,” Bostock said.
“My daughter kept telling me it was there.
“I wasn’t concerned. I wasn’t worried. I couldn’t be bothered to go to the doctor and go through a really long process.
“So after a few weeks, my daughter reminded me again. I took a photo. I uploaded it onto the app and I had an appointment with the doctor.
“And straight away they said you need to see a dermatologist straight away on this and that’s what I did.
“As I said it turned out to be a malignant melanoma. I was very lucky. I caught it in the early stages. I got surgery.”
Importance of convenience
Bostock added that she came through screening since and she has come through her experience in a positive way and brought her the importance of the convenience of the service.
“Had I not had that convenience, would I have bothered to go to the doctor and go through that process? I’m not entirely sure,” she continued.
“So a malignant melanoma can spread to your liver in five weeks. And so we really need to get things straight away.
“The convenience of these services really, really make them so popular with our customer bank.”
Changed mindset
But Bostock’s experience also caused her to change her mindset on life.
“I read something that said you can earn more money, but you can’t earn more time.
“And that became really, really prominent in my mind.”
Consequently, she has used the proceeds of policy pay out to have an extra holiday.
“I’ve started buying that extra holiday entitlement through work because it does bring home to you quality time is so, so important,” she added.
“Life’s not guaranteed. And it did change my mindset in that way.”
