Chelsea Tantum began using sunbeds at 15 after she and her friends started competing to see who could achieve the darkest tan. Fifteen years later, she died from skin cancer at the age of 30.
The Manchester woman was diagnosed with melanoma at 28, following a decade of regular tanning-bed use.
By the time doctors identified the cancer, it had already reached an advanced stage and spread to multiple parts of her body, including her spine, ribs, pelvis, lungs and liver.
Just weeks before her 30th birthday, Chelsea received the devastating news that the melanoma had also spread to her brain.
Despite being told her illness was terminal, Chelsea spent her final years warning others about the dangers of sunbeds and campaigning for tighter controls on their use.
The debilitating disease left her wheelchair-bound at one point. Chelsea died on September 30, prompting an outpouring of tributes from her heartbroken family and friends.
She had previously spoken about starting to use sunbeds when she was just 15, saying she and her friends would compete to see who could develop the darkest tan.
Although she was underage, Chelsea said tanning salons never asked her to show identification.
Chelsea Tantum, from Manchester, was diagnosed with melanoma at 28 after spending a decade regularly using tanning beds
Just weeks before her 30th birthday, Chelsea learned that the cancer had spread to her brain
Chelsea continued to use sunbeds regularly for the next decade before receiving her devastating melanoma diagnosis.
She was initially diagnosed with stage 3C melanoma. However, reports said the disease had already spread to her spine, ribs, pelvis, femurs, lungs, liver, spleen and breast.
Shortly before turning 30, she discovered the cancer had reached her brain, leaving her with what was described as stage 4D disease.
Determined to spare other young women the same experience, Chelsea became a prominent campaigner for stronger sunbed regulations.
She urged tanning salons to carry out mandatory identification checks to prevent under-18s from using sunbeds. Chelsea also shared her own story to highlight the potentially fatal consequences of exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
She raised more than £4,000 for Melanoma Focus, a charity that supports people living with the disease while working to improve melanoma awareness and prevention.
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After her death, Chelsea’s loved ones paid tribute to her determination to help others, even as she faced the progression of the disease herself.
Family member Lee Craven said: “You never gave up fighting, right until the very end. Throughout everything she went through, Chelsea used her experience to raise awareness for her condition.”
“Much love to you, Chelsea. I wish you nothing but the best on your next great adventure, whatever that might be.”
Close friend Claire Louise described Chelsea as “strong, beautiful, funny, determined and completely unforgettable”.
Chelsea continued using sunbeds regularly for the following decade before receiving her devastating cancer diagnosis
She said: ‘I watched you go through more than anyone should ever have to, yet somehow you still found the strength to use your own journey to educate, support and help others while fighting so hard for yourself.
‘I genuinely don’t know anyone else who could have carried it all with the dignity, grace and strength that you did.
‘You were strong, beautiful, funny, determined and completely unforgettable. Your friendship was such a gift to me. Every adventure, every conversation, every laugh and every moment by your side was an absolute pleasure.
‘I’m so grateful I got to know you, love you and do a little bit of life with you. 30 years was nowhere near enough, Chelsea.’
Chelsea’s funeral is due to take place on October 23 at Albion Church in Ashton, followed by a committal service at Dukinfield Crematorium.
The Government announced plans in May to introduce compulsory ID checks at tanning salons in England, alongside tighter supervision of sunbed use.
The proposals followed concerns that children were continuing to access sunbeds despite an existing ban on their use by under-18s.
The consultation closed in August, with ministers still considering the responses in September. The new rules could come into force as early as 2027.
Health officials have repeatedly warned that sunbeds expose users to dangerous ultraviolet radiation, which can significantly increase the risk of developing skin cancer.
According to the World Health Organisation, using a sunbed before the age of 20 increases the risk of melanoma by 47 per cent compared with never using one.
Chelsea’s death comes as health campaigners continue to warn young people that achieving a tan is not worth risking their lives.
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