IT is a terrible legacy. Lisa Costello has been diagnosed with a Stage 1 melanoma, a dangerous form of skin cancer.

Her dad, Geoff Cleal, had the same disease. He died in November 2015 aged 59.

And while Lisa, 37, a driving instructor from Shrub End, Colchester, fights the illness she has also made it her mission to raise awareness of the often dormant condition.

Lisa, who is a mother-of-four said: “It’s very rare for it to happen in the same family. My dad unfortunately caught it too late which is why I want to raise awareness.

“Since losing my dad I have continuously been checking my moles. I found a mole in October last year and thought it had definitely changed.

“I was referred to a dermatologist on December 6 and he told me there and then they were looking at Stage 1 melanoma, apparently it’s hereditary.”

She had the mole removed and needs another operation in the next few weeks to see if the cancer has spread deeper into her leg. It is in the same spot where she got a tattoo in he dad’s memory just after he died. She said: “I kind of already had an inkling because of the size and texture of it.

“In my head I thought it could be something really bad but I thought maybe I was just being paranoid. I think I have about 200 moles all over my body, so I believe this is going to be an ongoing thing for me.”

Despite the diagnosis, Lisa is more determined than ever to raise awareness and funds for cancer charities.

Since her dad’s death, she has already raised more than £14,000 for Cancer Research UK and Farleigh Hospice. She hopes to raise an astonishing £20,000 by 2020.

She said: “The whole family was shocked as it is so soon after my dad but we just have to keep moving forward and staying positive.

“I just don’t think people realise it’s the deadliest form of skin cancer and it can just lay dormant.

“Since my dad died I have been holding fundraisers every year.”

The next fundraiser is a Dirty Dancing themed event at Kings Farm in Chelmsford on June 14.

Lisa added: “This diagnosis is a drive for more fundraising.

“I want to go into secondary schools and speak to young people about using sunbeds and applying sun screen.

“I used sunbeds a lot between the ages of 17 and 23, I stopped as I got older but I think the damage has already been done.”

Anyone who has a new mole or who finds a mole is getting bigger or becoming darker should see their doctor.

Other symptoms of melanoma include a loss of symmetry by which the two halves of the mole do not look the same, if it becomes itching or painful, bleeding, crusty or inflamed.

Moles with three or more different shades of brown or black are particularly likely to be melanoma.

About 90 per cent of melanoma patients survive for more than five years but the rate drops if the melanoma has spread through the body.

For more information, go to cancerresearchuk.org or consult your doctor.

For the fundraising events visit Moments into Memories on Facebook.