Wigan mum with incurable cancer calls for UK ban on sunbeds

A Wigan mum who's been diagnosed with incurable cancer which started with a lump on her left ear is urging people not to use sunbeds this summer.

Anthea Smith from Winstanley believes her use of sunbeds from a young age contributed to the development of the disease which has now spread to her back and lungs.

Anthea first started using Sunbeds at the age of 14 during a work experience placement at a salon.

After that, she says she became addicted.

"I felt better, my skin felt clearer, I felt more self confident. I would continue to use sunbeds in the salons I worked in throughout my career within that trade."

"I would also occasionally use a Sunbed at home."

"Turning to more recent years, I started to use sunbed salons. All the salons I worked at, managed and owned had sunbeds, all the salons did then as they were so popular."

"I loved being brown, I’ll admit to an addiction to tanning. Despite some people believing that there’s no such thing as a tanning addiction, I can say from my own experience, there really is. I hated being pale, I would tan some weeks 4-5 times."

But a few years ago Anetha was diagnosed with Melanoma, a serious type of skin cancer.

"I developed a small pearl sized lump on my left ear. It was Melanoma. The deadliest skin cancer."

"My left ear and tragus were both amputated. I don’t need to share the gory details of surgery, the fact is, I have no left ear and the unimaginable scarring that goes with that."

"Following this I needed to have inner and middle ear removed, temporal bone removed, all salivary glands removed, all lymph nodes removed, skin taken from right leg knee to hip to replace skin and vessels, followed by 32 sessions of radiotherapy to head and neck."

"I’m permanently deaf on my left side, have poor balance due to loss of the vestibular system, loss of sense of taste and texture on left side."

However, more recently Anthea's cancer has spread and doctors have told her it's incurable.

"Sadly, the melanoma has spread, to my right lung, breasts, bowel, sacrum, spine and both sides of brain."

"I have had to tell my family and friends that my cancer can’t be cured. I’m currently receiving a treatment which is my last chance saloon."

Anthea told us the team of medics that are currently looking after her have all told her that her use of sunbeds has contributed to the disease.

Now she wants the UK to follow in the footsteps of other countries such as Australia and Mexico by completely banning sunbeds altogether.

In partnership with skin cancer charity Melanoma UK, she's launched a petition which has already been signed by nearly 4,000 people.

She concluded "my message - don’t use sunbeds. Don’t start, just don’t."

"If you have used them, please stop. Today. For me."

"I can’t change my situation, it’s too late for me, but if reading about me can stop you and potentially save you, then that’s good enough for me."

"Please listen, you have one skin, it’s your largest organ, protect it and respect it."

"Don’t die for a tan, it’s truly not worth it."

We asked the Sunbed Association, who represent operators, manufacturers and distributors of sunbeds and lamps for a comment and they provided the following response:

Gary Lipman, Chairman of The Sunbed Association, said:

“Responsible tanning is at the core of everything we do at The Sunbed Association and there is no credible scientific evidence that responsible tanning, whether on a sunbed or in the sunshine, increases the risk of melanoma."

"It is over-exposure and burning that increases risk."

"It is quite ridiculous, indeed irresponsible and incorrect to state that exposure to ultra violet light is dangerous without clarifying that the problem is over-exposure."

"It is such a shame that Melanoma UK won’t collaborate or work with us to promote responsible tanning and education, as I believe in this respect we have more in common than separates us."

“We always recommend anyone looking to use a sunbed to do so at one of our member salons, where you will first be screened by trained staff to check you are ok to tan and then provided with the correct advice and information about tanning responsibly."

"Our members can be found on our salon locator at www.sunbedassociation.org.uk”

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