Latest news with #MacmillanCancer
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Health
- Wales Online
Woman calls for sunbed ban after stage four cancer diagnosis, age 23
Woman calls for sunbed ban after stage four cancer diagnosis, age 23 Lily used a sunbed fewer than 10 times to get a 'base tan' before a holiday Lily and her dermatology surgeon at the work Christmas party A woman with stage four skin cancer has called for the UK government to ban sunbeds after her brief effort to get a pre-holiday 'base tan' led to a life-changing diagnosis. Lily Murphy, 30, from Watford, said she used sunbeds fewer than 10 times before she was diagnosed with melanoma at 23 years old, using them to 'start' her tan ahead of a trip to South East Asia with friends. Given the all clear from her first diagnosis, in 2023 Lily started experiencing pain in her back and chest and is now living with stage four melanoma and is expected to undergo life-long treatment after the disease spread to her neck and lungs. Working as an NHS administrative clerk in Watford General Hospital's dermatology department, Lily sees a growing number of young people referred for cancer biopsies, many with a history of sunbed use. In light of her professional and personal experiences, Lily is petitioning the government to ban sunbeds in the UK, copying similar legislation in Brazil and Australia, arguing the cost is too high to the individuals and an already overburdened NHS. '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.' 'If I could stop just one person using sunbeds to save them going through what I've been through, it will be a miracle.' Lily first noticed a mole in 2018 that had darkened and started to bleed, but was told by doctors that it wasn't anything to worry about. Reassured, she went travelling to Vietnam and Bali with friends, using sunbeds beforehand to get a base tan. Lily in hospital 'It was literally just, 'Let's start my tan before I go on holiday', just a couple of minutes here, a couple minutes there, just to get the tan going,' she explained. While on holiday, she did use sun cream to protect herself from the sun's UV rays. 'As I'm very fair-skinned I'd always get burnt no matter what, even if I put it on,' she said. 'I probably wasn't as cautious as I would be now; now I'm putting it on every couple of hours, whereas before I was probably putting it on once or twice a day.' Upon her return to the UK, Lily went back to the doctor for a second opinion on her mole. 'That's when the doctor said, 'This doesn't look right, I'm going to refer you on the two-week cancer pathway',' said Lily. She had the mole removed and was called back for an appointment two weeks later. 'There were two Macmillan Cancer nurses in there too… that's when they said to me it's come back as melanoma, stage 1B,' she explained. 'I was shocked, I was devastated. But as there was a delay between the call and the appointment, by the time I saw the doctor, it had actually sunk in a bit.' Stage 1B melanoma is one of the earliest stages of skin cancer, meaning that it has not yet spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body – and it is generally highly curable, which meant Lily was optimistic about getting the all-clear after treatment. Lily was the youngest person in her cancer support group. She added: 'Everyone else was in their 40s, 50s, 60s, it was an experience.' She had a wide local excision and a central lymph node biopsy at the Royal Free Hospital in London in 2019. 'It felt like such a relief to hear that the cancer hadn't spread – my cancer journey might have been short, it was only a couple of months, but I said to myself, 'I've beaten it',' said Lily. 'I did think I've got another chance in life; let's just go and have fun, just going on holidays, nights out and just appreciating everyone around me and spending as much time with everyone as possible, because life is so short.' It was after a family weekend to a log cabin in Gloucestershire in January 2023 that she started to feel unwell again. 'I was just constantly tired, and I couldn't understand why,' Lily said. 'The following weekend I worked overtime and had back pain, so I thought I'd sat uncomfortably or something. But then I woke up the next morning and had really bad chest pain and couldn't breathe, and said to my mum it feels like something's not right.' Despite repeated trips to A&E, Lily's concerns were dismissed as anxiety, linked to her mental health history. Eventually, through her mum, who also works at Watford General, she was booked for scans and blood tests in a different department, which led to a Stage 4 melanoma diagnosis. Lily won an Inspirational Colleague award at Watford General Hospital for her endurance during her treatment 'They said we've found some masses in your lung and your neck,' said Lily. Doctors explained that in rare cases like hers, melanoma can spread via the blood and not show on the scans she had done during her first cancer experience. With new treatments, some people are living with stage four melanoma for a long time according to Cancer Research UK. Lily began immunotherapy treatment in April 2023, but struggled to tolerate the doses required, with each round costing the NHS £15,000. She then tried two oral chemotherapy treatments but developed a severe allergic reaction within 10 days, including a rash that spread down her throat. Lily later developed sepsis, caused by a weakened immune system, and was taken to hospital. In February 2025, she started a new treatment that has already begun shrinking her cancer, despite only managing four of the recommended 12 tablets per day. 'I'm taking a break from treatment at the moment, because it's just too much on my body,' Lily said. Now on a phased return to work, she's back booking skin cancer biopsies. 'As much as it's triggering, it's rewarding – I can help people because I've had the experience of the worry,' Lily explained. Her petition, Ban Sun Beds to Protect Against Skin Cancer in the UK, launched in May and has already gained more than 700 signatures. 'It was just a spur of the moment thing,' she said. 'Every day I'm getting biopsy requests where the patient has a history of using sunbeds. Sunbeds are a known cancer risk. 'Banning them would save lives – and save the NHS money.' On top of a sunbed ban, Lily has called for better education as she believes social media and influencer culture glamorise tanning without showing the risks, even though safer alternatives are widely available. 'Your tan is semi-permanent, but your life should be permanent,' Lily said. A West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust spokesperson said: 'Lily is an inspirational colleague who continues to work tirelessly for the Trust and our patients while undergoing treatment. We are in awe of her phenomenal work ethic and her spirit, and we send her all our support during this challenging time.' Article continues below Lily's petition can be found at:
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Shockingly little sunbed use that led to 23-year-old's skin cancer that spread to her lungs and neck
A woman with late stage skin cancer has warned of the catastrophic dangers of pursuing a 'base tan' before a summer holiday—after just a handful of sunbed sessions left her with incurable disease. Lily Murphy, 30, from Watford, used sunbeds for the first time in her early twenties, to 'prepare' her skin for an upcoming trip to South East Asia. She used the tanning devices—known to increase cancer risk by up to 75 per cent— for just 'a couple of minutes here and there', totalling less than an hour over the course of several weeks. While on holiday, she recalled using sun cream to protect herself from the sun's harmful UV rays, aware that she is 'very fair-skinned and always get burnt'. Upon her return to the UK, the NHS administrator visited her GP to enquire about a mole that was worrying her. 'The doctor said this doesn't look right, I'm going to refer you on the two-week cancer pathway,' she said. She had the mole removed and was called back for an appointment two weeks later. 'There were two Macmillan Cancer nurses in there too… that's when they said to me it's come back as melanoma, stage 1B.' Stage 1B melanoma is one of the earliest stages of the deadliest type of skin cancer. This stage means it has not yet spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body, and it is generally highly curable. Ms Murphy recalled being the youngest person in her cancer support group, aged 23 at the time. 'Everyone else was in their 40s, 50s, 60s,' she said. 'It was an experience.' Doctors performed surgery to cut out the cancer in 2019. 'It felt like such a relief to hear that the cancer hadn't spread,' she said. 'I said to myself, "I've beaten it",' said Lily. But four years later, in January 2023, she began to feel unwell during a family trip to Gloucestershire. She was 'constantly tired' and suffering agonising back pain, which eventually migrated to her chest. 'I couldn't breathe. I said to my mum it feels like something's not right,' she said. Despite repeated trips to A&E, her concerns were dismissed as anxiety, linked to her mental health history. Eventually, she was booked for scans and blood tests in a different department, which revealed the devastating truth: her cancer was back and had spread to her lungs and neck. With new treatments, some people are living with stage four melanoma for a long time according to Cancer Research UK. However, studies suggest that, on average, only half of those with this stage of disease live beyond six years. Ms Murphy began immunotherapy treatment in April 2023, but struggled to tolerate the doses required. She then tried two oral chemotherapy treatments but developed a severe allergic reaction within 10 days, including a rash that spread down her throat. She later developed sepsis, caused by a weakened immune system, and was rushed to hospital. In February 2025, she began a new treatment that has already shown signs of shrinking her cancer, despite only managing four of the recommended 12 tablets per day. 'I'm taking a break from treatment at the moment, because it's just too much on my body,' Ms Murphy said. She has now launched a petition, Ban Sun Beds to Protect Against Skin Cancer, which has already gained more than 700 signatures. 'It was just a spur of the moment thing,' she said. 'Sunbeds are a known cancer risk. 'Banning them would save lives—and save the NHS money.' She has called for a stop to the 'glamourisation' of tanning by social media and influencers. 'Your tan is semi-permanent, but your life should be permanent,' she said. Last year, rates of deadly melanoma reached a record high in the UK, with new diagnoses increasing by almost a third in just a decade, according to Cancer Research UK. Now, experts are warning that cases are on the rise again— set to surge faster in men than women. Michelle Mitchell, CEO at Cancer Research, said: 'The growing number of people diagnosed with melanoma is concerning, especially when we can see that rates are rising faster in men. 'If you notice anything different on your skin, like a new mole, a mole that's changed in size, shape, or colour, or any patch of skin that looks out of the ordinary—don't ignore it, speak to your GP', she added.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Couple to run half marathon as newly-weds
Thousands of runners are preparing for the 13.1 mile Brighton Half Marathon on Sunday as organisers confirm the event is going ahead. The race is in its 35th year and some runners have decided to make this event extra special, including Carmen Somerset and Daniel Creed who will be running together as newly-weds. Ms Somerset, 40, told BBC Radio Sussex: "When planning our wedding party we realised it is the day before the half marathon." The couple got married at Brighton Town Hall on Friday and 30 people from their running club are attending their wedding party on Saturday. Mr Creed said: "We're going to stick together on the run with a 'just married' sign on our back. "On Sunday morning we'll be nursing sore heads but we'll be running together in the half-marathon as newly-weds," said Ms Somerset. Martin Harrigan, organiser of the Brighton Half Marathon, said: "It's a great story, I used to run the half marathon with Daniel." Soph Cheesman and Hannah Brown, both from Brighton, will be running the half marathon tied together at their wrists and ankles. They are also attempting a world record with a target time of one hour and 50 minutes. The duo are raising money for Macmillan Cancer in memory of Ms Cheesman 's grandfather, Robert Cheesman, who died from stomach cancer last December. She said: "He was a true legend and we miss him greatly. "He competed regularly in the bathtub races in Shoreham. He attempted a Guinness World Record to get across the channel in a bathtub. "This was not achieved but a great effort, so therefore in his memory we would like to achieve a Guinness World Record." There will be five main road closures during the half marathon. The event raises money for The Sussex Beacon, which supports and provides care for people living with HIV and Aids. Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Five road closures for 2025 Brighton Half Marathon Seaside road to reopen after Brighton Half Brighton Half Marathon
BBC News
01-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Couple to run Brighton Half Marathon as newly-weds
Thousands of runners are preparing for the 13.1 mile Brighton Half Marathon on Sunday as organisers confirm the event is going ahead. The race is in its 35th year and some runners have decided to make this event extra special, including Carmen Somerset and Daniel Creed who will be running together as newly-weds. Ms Somerset, 40, told BBC Radio Sussex: "When planning our wedding party we realised it is the day before the half marathon."The couple got married at Brighton Town Hall on Friday and 30 people from their running club are attending their wedding party on Saturday. Mr Creed said: "We're going to stick together on the run with a 'just married' sign on our back."On Sunday morning we'll be nursing sore heads but we'll be running together in the half-marathon as newly-weds," said Ms Somerset. Martin Harrigan, organiser of the Brighton Half Marathon, said: "It's a great story, I used to run the half marathon with Daniel." Soph Cheesman and Hannah Brown, both from Brighton, will be running the half marathon tied together at their wrists and ankles. They are also attempting a world record with a target time of one hour and 50 minutes. The duo are raising money for Macmillan Cancer in memory of Ms Cheesman 's grandfather, Robert Cheesman, who died from stomach cancer last said: "He was a true legend and we miss him greatly. "He competed regularly in the bathtub races in Shoreham. He attempted a Guinness World Record to get across the channel in a bathtub. "This was not achieved but a great effort, so therefore in his memory we would like to achieve a Guinness World Record." There will be five main road closures during the half event raises money for The Sussex Beacon, which supports and provides care for people living with HIV and Aids.
