Melanoma is normally associated with old age but, between 1998 and 2007, nine people under 30 were diagnosed with the most aggressive form of skin cancer. As the world marks Melanoma Monday, Cynthia Busuttil spoke to a man who came face-to-face with the potentially deadly melanoma at 27.

It had started like just another day, but by the end of it Daniel* had an appointment with a skin specialist that would save his life.

"I felt what seemed like a pimple in my lower back and started scratching it, trying to remove it with my nails," he said.

But the pain made Daniel, who was 27 at the time, go check his back in front of a mirror and he did not like what he saw.

"I realised that it was no pimple at all, but a dark brown mole with an irregular shape. Even though I thought it was probably nothing, I was concerned and decided to have it checked out," he said.

That same day he went to his family doctor who voiced concern at the mole and sent Daniel to see a skin specialist. "He did not like what he saw and wanted me to get a second opinion."

Three weeks later, Daniel went to see the specialist. "He wanted to remove it, and made a small incision around the mole."

But a few days later Daniel received a call from the specialist who said he had malignant melanoma and should have more of the surrounding flesh removed to make sure that there were no cancer cells left.

Daniel admits that he was shocked. "I never expected to have skin cancer, especially since I am still young."

Although he has avoided the sun in the past years, the damage could easily have happened when he was younger.

"There wasn't much awareness when we were children, even though my mother always insisted that we put on sunscreen," he said.

He considers himself lucky to have discovered the mole when the cancer had still not spread. "Skin cancer gives you a signal and it is really a case of a stitch in time saves nine," he said.

Today, not only does Daniel steer away from the sun but he checks his body for lesions regularly. "I had to take photos of my whole body and every month check for any new lesions. Twice a year I go to a specialist for a proper check up."

Sunscreen has become part of his daily routine. "I put it on every day, summer and winter, on exposed parts of my body. Staying in the sun is completely out of the question."

This year the authorities are targeting the annual melanoma prevention campaign towards youngsters, urging them to "act cool in the sun" by protecting themselves.

*Name has been changed to protect the patient's identity.