Matt Kean was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma after seeing a doctor about a spider bite

A school teacher who decided to get checked out for a suspected spider bite after a black bump on his knee didn’t go away was shocked to discover he had melanoma.

Matt Kean, 47, noticed a slight abnormality on his thigh one weekend while gardening and thought it was an insect bite.

Matt expected the wound to go away over time as there were no other signs of it. But when he decided to see the doctor more than a month later, he received the devastating news that the “bite” was indeed cancer.

During his initial exam, the oncologist found that Matt’s cancer had already spread to the lymph nodes in his groin.

“I really thought it was just a bug bite – and it’s one of my big regrets that I didn’t go to the doctor that minute,” Matt told FEMAIL.

“I try not to think about it, but it’s always in the back of my mind: How much difference could one month have made?”

Matt said he fell victim to the typical male trait of thinking, “Everything’s going to be okay.”

“I had a huge black bump on my knee and I just expected it to go away without doing anything.”

The teacher revealed what happened after the shock diagnosis.

“A few days after I went to the doctor for the first time in October 2016, a lump was removed from my right thigh and then the lymph nodes in my groin were removed,” he recalls.

“Within a few weeks I was diagnosed with stage 3 metastatic melanoma.

“Unfortunately, a routine PET (positron emission tomography) scan in November 2017 revealed that the cancer had spread to the lumps at the top of my right hip, leading to the diagnosis of stage 4 metastatic melanoma.”

Matt revealed that his initial prognosis was extremely grim.

“They only gave me eight to ten years to live,” he said.

“It was so confronting to be a man who had just turned 40 and been told I might not make it to 50.”

The husband and father of two also said cancer doesn’t just affect one person, it affects the whole family.

“My cancer is something that happened to my whole family,” he said.

“It was devastating to think that I wasn’t able to see my daughters grow up or be there for my wife because I was careless with my sunscreen application.”

“I can never undo the impact I had on her – and I regret it every day.”

Seven years after Matt’s original diagnosis, his family still can’t shake the shock they endured.

“My oldest daughter has now started looking at universities, but she told me she was afraid to leave the state because I might get sick again,” Matt said.

“They shouldn’t have to think about their father’s health while pursuing their dreams.”

The father revealed he recalled feeling “rushed” after his diagnosis and did his best to be practical.

“My goal was to beat my cancer — there was no point in being frivolous and throwing caution in the air by living like every day was my last,” he said.

“The most important thing for me was to make memories with my wife and children and to see the situation positively.”

As of 2019, Matt is now cancer-free but continues to undergo check-ups every four months to ensure the disease is kept at bay.

Following his ordeal, Matt has now made it his mission to encourage everyone to be diligent about skin screening and sun protection.

“As a teacher and educator, I want people to know that skin cancer can be deadly,” he said.

“I wasn’t careful enough and didn’t take care of myself.”

‘I’m a fair skinned redhead, I’ve only ever been afraid of getting sunburned.’ Melanoma has never crossed my mind.’

Now Matt checks the UV rays index every day and diligently applies sunscreen.

“Please protect yourself when you go out,” he said.

“If you notice anything on your skin changing in color, shape, or size, see a doctor.”