They found a lump under her arm, and she was then diagnosed with metastatic melanoma. She had the surgery to remove the lymph nodes under her arm, but was told there was no further conventional treatment.
"At first I wasn't really very scared because no one at first mentioned dying ... then the surgeon said most of his patients die within a few years."
She said once she got her head around the diagnosis, she started looking at other options overseas. Her mother had gone to Mexico in the past for cancer treatment, so Mrs Sutcliffe said it was only natural to look further.
She spent 10 days at Australia's Gawler Institute and completely transformed her lifestyle when she returned home - following a special diet, cutting out sugar, meditating daily and removing stress from her life. "Sugar was out because cancer loves sugar."
Mrs Sutcliffe admitted there was a time where she thought it was too hard, but she knew she had to do it.
"It was a huge adjustment ... Once you have a cancer diagnosis life is never the same again."
While her approach was initially met with some skepticism from some of those around her, most had been supportive and have seen the benefits.
The cancer stemmed from a mole which had been picked up through a mole map and removed, but must have already spread, she said.
She still has wide-ranging check-ups, including regular ultrasounds and x-rays, mole maps, GP and specialist visits.
"I want to be certain that if it comes back I get it right at the beginning."
