A woman diagnosed with stage four skin cancer is urging the UK government to ban sunbeds, following her own experience with melanoma linked to sunbed use. Lily Murphy, 30, from Watford, revealed that her brief use of sunbeds—fewer than 10 sessions—led to her diagnosis at just 23 years old. She used sunbeds mainly to build a “base tan” before a holiday to South East Asia with friends.
After initially receiving the all-clear, Lily began to experience pain in her back and chest in 2023. The cancer later progressed to stage four, spreading to her neck and lungs. She now faces lifelong treatment. Lily works as an NHS administrative clerk in the dermatology department at Watford General Hospital, where she has observed a rise in young patients being referred for cancer biopsies, many of whom have used sunbeds.
Drawing on her personal and professional experience, Lily has launched a petition calling for the UK to ban sunbeds. She points to countries like Brazil and Australia that have already enacted similar laws. She argues that the health risks are too great and the financial burden on the NHS is unsustainable. “I’ve probably used sunbeds for less than an hour in total,” Lily told PA Real Life. “Just going on a sunbed for six minutes can change your whole life. Plus it costs the NHS: immunotherapy can cost £15,000 per round.”
Her call highlights the urgent need for stronger regulations to protect public health and reduce preventable cancer cases linked to artificial tanning.
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