A Skin Cancer Story: X-Men’s Wounds Do Not Heal Easily in Real Life

The strong, fearless X-Men comic character whose battle wounds heal rapidly, Wolverine has been successfully portrayed for years by the Hollywood star Hugh Jackman , was once a child sitting on his porch, afraid to go inside. Perhaps this was the most tragic aspect of the Australian actor's life, one he may not have realized: he was very good at playing a brave role. In fact, he was strong too; after all, he had beaten cancer 5 times. Sadly, now fighting skin cancer recurring for the 6th time, Jackman has undergone many operations.

The recurrence of cancer in an actor respected and admired both in Hollywood and beyond naturally saddened his friends and those around him.

Hugh Jackman was 8 when his mother left them; she had seen him off to school, but he could not find her when he returned. He was now with his father and brothers. "It was one of the first times I was alone at home; I just waited outside. I was disappointed and could not go into my house by myself."

"Since my mother left, I was a frightened child who felt powerless. I was afraid of the dark and heights, and these limited me. I hated them and they made me angry. After all, are the greatest hatreds not based on fear? The problems arose from a kind of powerlessness, and I felt it very deeply."

As the years passed in the famous actor's story, like anyone trying to hold on to life, he began seeking tools to improve his life. Religion was always a firm source of support, and spiritual journeys played a major role in healing. Acting motivated him and enabled self-realization. Going on stage was what helped him most. It developed so naturally that he soon turned it into a full profession.

Apart from the X-Men films portraying Wolverine, he gained worldwide fame playing superheroes and historical figures in leading roles in Kate & Leopold, Van Helsing, The Prestige, Australia, Real Steel, Les Misérables and Prisoners.

He later developed nonmelanoma skin cancer, very common in Australia and caused by unprotected exposure to harmful sunlight. After 3 previous treatments, his disease recurred in 2013. At his wife Deborra-Lee Furness's insistence, Jackman saw a doctor about a mark on his nose and began treatment after a basal cell carcinoma diagnosis.

In a 2015 interview, he said: "Hearing the word cancer is always shocking. I had never used sunscreen, so I was a prime candidate for this disease."

Regarding ongoing treatment, in a 2017 Instagram post showing a bandage on his nose, he said: "Please do not be foolish like me. Have regular medical checkups and use sunscreen" .

Finally, he reconciled with his mother, and she returned to his life. It seems to me that in a world with such difficulties, none of us has enough time to be unforgiving and refuse to let go of what happened.

Further Reading

What are the types of skin cancer?

Skin cancers are the most common of all cancer types, accounting for approximately half of all cases. Most skin cancers have a low potential for spread (metastasis) and are often detected early. Based on the cells they originate from, they are generally divided into melanoma (arising from cells called melanocytes that give skin its color) and nonmelanoma (not melanoma), with approximately 98% of skin cancers being nonmelanoma. The common nonmelanoma types are basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer , making 2 main types.

Basal cell carcinoma is a cancer often presenting with flat, firm, pale areas, or small raised, pink or red, translucent, shiny, pearl-sized bumps that may bleed easily even after a minor injury. The center is depressed, and the area is blue, brown or black. Large basal cell carcinomas have a crusted or spreading area. They very rarely metastasize and tend to recur locally.

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