A woman who began using sunbeds at 15 as part of a competition with friends to achieve the darkest tan has died from skin cancer at just 30.
Chelsea Tantum, from Manchester, was diagnosed with melanoma at 28 after using tanning beds regularly for around a decade.
By the time doctors identified the cancer, it had reached an advanced stage and spread to multiple parts of her body, including her spine, ribs, pelvis, lungs and liver.
Only weeks before her 30th birthday, Chelsea received the devastating news that the melanoma had also spread to her brain.
Although her diagnosis was terminal, Chelsea spent her final years warning others about the dangers of sunbeds and campaigning for tighter controls on their use.
The debilitating illness left Chelsea wheelchair-bound at one stage. She died on September 30, prompting an outpouring of grief from friends and relatives.
Chelsea previously said she first used a sunbed at the age of 15, when she and her friends would compete to see who could develop the deepest tan.
She said that, despite being underage, staff at the tanning salons never asked her to show identification.
Manchester woman Chelsea Tantum was diagnosed with melanoma at 28 after using tanning beds regularly for a decade
Chelsea learned the melanoma had spread to her brain just weeks before her 30th birthday
She continued visiting sunbeds frequently for the next 10 years before receiving her devastating cancer diagnosis.
Chelsea was initially diagnosed with stage 3C melanoma, but reports said the disease had already spread to her spine, ribs, pelvis, femurs, lungs, liver, spleen and breast.
Shortly before turning 30, she was told the cancer had reached her brain, resulting in what was described as stage 4D disease.
Determined to spare other young women the same experience, Chelsea became a prominent campaigner for tougher sunbed regulations.
She urged tanning salons to introduce compulsory identification checks to prevent under-18s from using sunbeds, while sharing her story to highlight the potentially fatal risks associated with UV exposure.
Chelsea also raised more than £4,000 for Melanoma Focus, a charity that supports people living with the disease and campaigns for better awareness and prevention.
After her death, Chelsea’s loved ones praised her determination to support others while facing her own illness.
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 of 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 remembered 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.