Told it was anxiety—She was actually living with stage 4 cancer
Lily Murphy, 30, from Watford, is speaking out about the dangers of sunbeds after being diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma—despite using them fewer than ten times in her life. Now, she's calling for a UK-wide ban on sunbeds, saying the risks just aren't worth it.
Lily was just 23 when she was first told she had stage 1B skin cancer, shortly after a trip to Vietnam and Bali with friends, Independent reported. Before the trip, she'd used sunbeds a few times to 'get a base tan,' but never imagined they could be so dangerous.
'It was just a couple of minutes here and there, nothing major,' Lily explained. 'Probably less than an hour in total. But even that was enough.'
After having a mole removed and getting the all-clear, Lily tried to move on with her life.
She started going out again, enjoying holidays, and making the most of her second chance. 'I told myself, 'I've beaten this,' and I was just focused on living life to the fullest,' she said.
But in early 2023, things changed. After a weekend away with her family, Lily started feeling constantly tired and began experiencing chest and back pain. But doctors told her it was likely just anxiety.
She has a history of anxiety
'I knew something wasn't right,' Lily said.
'But because I have a history of anxiety, it felt like they just brushed it off.'
Luckily, her mum—who also works at Watford General—helped her get seen in a different department. That's when tests revealed the cancer had returned and spread to her lungs and neck. It was now stage 4 melanoma.
'I was absolutely devastated. I'd had regular checks, and everything seemed fine. But apparently, in rare cases like mine, the cancer can spread through the blood and not show up on normal scans.'
Since then, Lily's been through a rollercoaster of treatments. She started immunotherapy in April 2023, but her body couldn't handle the full doses. Each round of the treatment cost the NHS around £15,000. She also tried oral chemotherapy, but had a severe allergic reaction, which led to a full-body rash, sepsis, and a trip to hospital.
Despite the setbacks, Lily finally started a new treatment in early 2025 that's shown promising results.
She's only been able to take a third of the recommended dosage, but even that has started shrinking the tumours. Right now, she's taking a break from treatment to give her body some time to recover.
Even while dealing with all of this, Lily's gone back to work on a part-time basis, helping book in skin cancer biopsies at Watford General's dermatology department. 'It's tough because it can be triggering, but it also feels good to be helping people.
I know what that fear feels like.'
Working in dermatology, she's seen more and more young people coming in with possible skin cancers—and many of them admit to using sunbeds.
Petition for total ban on sunbeds
That's what pushed her to start a petition in May 2025 calling for a total ban on sunbeds in the UK, similar to what countries like Brazil and Australia have already done. In just a few weeks, the petition's already picked up over 700 signatures.
'Sunbeds are a known cancer risk.
I see it every day. Just one six-minute session can change your life,' Lily said. 'If I can stop even one person from using a sunbed, it'll be worth it.'
Lily's also calling for better education on sun safety. She feels social media and influencers often glamorise tanning without talking about the risks. She says young people are being misled into thinking tans equal beauty, when in reality, they're putting themselves at serious risk.
'There are so many safe ways to get a tan now—self-tanners, spray tans, all that,' she said. 'Your tan is temporary, but your life should be permanent.'
Looking back, Lily wishes she'd been more cautious. She always used sun cream on holiday, but not as regularly as she does now. 'I'm fair-skinned and always used to burn, even with sunscreen. Now I apply it constantly.'
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