Ten years ago, Shannan Ponton nearly died due to “total male stupid ignorance”.
He thought his skin was dark enough for him to spend time in the sun, and he hadn’t had a skin check.
“It was just by chance that my wife saw a mole on the back of my leg,” the former The Biggest Loser trainer, now appearing on The All New Monty: Guys & Gals, tells TV WEEK.
“If she hadn’t seen that, I’d be dead.”
Shannan’s close call changed his life.
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The suspicious-looking mole Kylie spotted was a melanoma. It was cut out, leaving a 20cm scar.
“That totally changed my life,” the 46-year-old says.
“This year alone, I’ve had a cardiac stress test, a colonoscopy, a skin check and a brain scan. Anything that comes up now, I’m determined to hit it on the head straight away.”
Shannan is serious about his health.
(Channel Seven)Shannan makes sure his kids – Max, eight, Milla, five, and Bronx, two – are always sun-smart, never letting them go out in the sun without rashies or 50-plus sunscreen.
The three of them, like their dad, love being active. The “baby”, Bronx, does exercises such as sit-ups and burpees for fun.
“He just rips them out,” Shannan says. “My oldest son loves fitness. When we were in iso, he was writing programs for us to do in the lounge room each day.”
The trainer is ready to bare it all.
(Channel Seven)Shannan was keen to sign on for The All New Monty to raise awareness of men’s health. He’d also love to see The Biggest Loser return.
“I’d love to be involved,” he says. “But I think they’d probably get some young, hot, fit trainers with big fake lips and boobies or something.
“I’m probably a bit old. But I don’t think any of the young trainers could generate the results I could. I’d love to see old versus new. Wouldn’t that be good?”
