LITTLE Macey-Mai Clarke was born with a bleeding birthmark engulfing her whole back.

To her family’s horror, tests revealed it was cancerous.

Now ten months old, Macey-Mai was born with giant congenital melanocytic nevus (GCMN), a benign, tumour-like malformation.

It results from faulty development of pigment cells and covers her entire back as well as the sides of her stomach and the tops of her legs and arms.

She also has over 100 smaller and medium-sized growths on her face and scalp.

Mum Katelyn Clarke and dad Dainen Milne, 23, were “completely shocked” when medics pointed out the dark mark on their little one’s back.

Macey-Mai also had seven painful lesions on her largest birthmark, which bled.

She had them removed in August 2025 at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London.

These were all sent for genetic testing and a biopsy to check if they were malignant.

After months of waiting for the results, the tot’s family received the heart-breaking news that one of them was at risk of becoming cancerous.

Tests showed Macey-Mai’s largest birthmark could potentially become aggressive melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – which could be life-threatening to the tot.

Katelyn, 23, from Plymouth said: “I have never cried like that before, my heart’s been broken since we received the news that one of the lumps was malignant.

“It has been very hard to comprehend.

“I knew that with this condition you would probably face malignancy at some point but they said that’s when you are an adult.

“They never say that you can be born with it so it’s devastating to know that it’s already the case.”

Katelyn said she had a normal pregnancy and nothing was detected at her ultrasounds.

Until she gave birth to the tot naturally on May 7 2025, at University Hospitals Plymouth, weighing 5lbs 15oz.

The National Library of Medicine says the condition affects 1 per cent of newborns, with 1 in 20,000-500,000 live births reported with GCMN.

Growths tend to be larger than 20cm and can vary in colour from tan to black.

The surface can be flat, raised, rough or bumpy.

Katelyn said that she has to monitor her daughter’s birthmark for the next few months to see if there are any changes to it.

She said: “They want me to monitor it by checking any bleeding, any changing in size because any change will probably mean there’s melanoma within her nevus [skin growth].

“Every single day I have got to take photos, to sit there and look at every single inch of her.

“Any changes, even the smallest changes, can warrant the worst.”

Katelyn added she has to buy special sleepsuits for her little one, to make sure she is comfortable when lying down.

She said: “Her skin is completely irritable.

“The second she is on her back even if she’s in a chair she is rubbing her back.

“We’ve had to go out of our way and purchase special sleep suits for babies with eczema just so she can sleep a bit better at night.

“It doesn’t really help but I’m spending £26 on just a single suit – that’s a lot.

“We use around 10 of those per week.”

In the last 10 months, the family have had to take Macey-Mai to dozens of appointments in London.

Katelyn, who has two other children, says that constantly travelling to appointments makes it difficult for them to spend family time together.

The mum set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money to support her family while they make regular trips to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London for Macey’s care.

She wrote the biopsy showed “not only malignancy… but also a very aggressive cancerous change that could potentially develop to an aggressive form of melanoma and at a fast rate”.

“Since being told these results we have decided to not only continue fundraise to be able to continue to attend every appointment needed for crucial treatments and check ups, but we want to be able to make forever lasting amazing memories with our precious girl,” she added.

“It’s extremely hard to navigate being a parent of three but also being a parent of a baby with such a rare condition.

“But in the last 10 months we have managed to raise £20,000 which has helped massively to ensure Macey-Mai could attend continuous health care appointments in London helping to cover the cost of travel expenses and everything needed while we are away.

“Not only this but donations have helped provide Macey with everything absolutely necessary for her and her journey so far living with CMN.”

Macey is soon celebrating her first birthday.

Katelyn said she wants to give her daughter her “best birthday ever”.

“We will never know if it is going to be the last,” she said.

“But it’s so hard to afford it with all the trips to London.”