One of Australian sport’s most admired dual-code athletes has issued a blunt and emotional warning to young women following a frightening diagnosis that could have taken a very different turn.
Australian and New South Wales rugby league star Emma Verran [née Tonegato], now with the Cronulla Sharks, discovered melanoma during a routine check at a community screening event.
Sharing her story in a candid Instagram video captioned ‘Everyone go get your skin checkedddddd please.’
Verran explained that a seemingly minor mole on her back turned out to be anything but, with subsequent testing confirming it was melanoma – one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of skin cancer.
‘I don’t normally do videos like this, but I just had a bit of a story to share,’ she said,.
She shared the moment a foundation nurse suggested she get it looked at more closely, prompting a chain of events that may well have saved her life.
Emma Verran shared her melanoma scare on Instagram to encourage young Aussies to protect their skin
A routine skin check during an event uncovered the mole that turned out to be melanoma
Verran delayed her follow-up surgery by five weeks to finish the State of Origin series
Three days after the biopsy, while in Origin camp, Verran was told she had melanoma and needed urgent surgery.
Despite the urgency of the diagnosis, Verran initially resisted immediate surgery, telling her doctor, ‘I’m in Origin camp,’ only for the doctor to respond firmly, ‘This is really important’.
That sparked a negotiation that saw the surgery delayed until after the series.
Verran now realises how lucky she was that her instinct to check the harmless-looking mole likely saved her life.
Verran urged regular skin checks and slammed tanning trends, calling the normalisation of unprotected sun exposure ‘sick.’
‘I see all the tan line trends and stuff and it just makes me feel a bit sick, to be honest. Even friends of mine who don’t wear sunscreen – they’re literally so silly,’ she told News Corp.
For Verran, the bronzed-skin trend is dangerous, with melanoma now the top cancer in Aussies aged 20–39.
Her concern is personal – despite her mum’s warnings, Verran admits she once prioritised looking tanned over sun safety.
She now avoids sun exposure and uses mineral sunscreen due to a reaction to common ingredients
Fans flooded her video with messages of support, sharing similar experiences and appreciation for her honesty
‘I used to hate fake tan, I used to think it looked gross,’ she said.
‘Whereas now I’m all for it. I had a couple of years where I probably just wanted to be brown, to be tan, and now I know it’s so important to stay in the shade, sit under an umbrella, and wear sunscreen.’
Even sunscreen hasn’t always been easy for her – she has a sensitivity to a common ingredient found in most commercial formulas, so she relies on mineral-based options instead.
But she has learned that finding alternatives is far better than ignoring the issue altogether.
Her calm, composed video reached thousands, with fans thanking her and sharing their own skin cancer experiences.
‘Great message, had the same thing happen to me earlier this year,’ one follower wrote.
Another added, ‘Great reminder for the rest of us – thank you for sharing and good luck for your next appointments.’
Others praised her honesty and strength, calling her story ‘a great tutorial’ and ‘a show of character,’ recognising the courage it took to speak so openly about something so personal.
Beyond footy, Verran works with Cronulla to run clinics, school visits, and events that connect locals to rugby league.
‘I just love seeing people have a good time and engage with rugby league,’ she said, ‘and just the smiles on their faces … they’re so passionate about the Sharks and it’s just awesome to see.’
Her passion for community work, she says, helps keep her grounded – It fills my cup up and kind of brings me back down to earth too.’
