Belfast mum Katie McVeigh, 25, on dangers of using sunbeds after she developed skin cancer

Katie McVeigh, 25, said she started using sunbeds when she was just 16.

"I used them before going on holiday because I liked getting a 'base-tan' and it became a bit of a habit. I was probably using them twice a week before I was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer.

"I noticed a new mole on my face in 2022 so asked my GP about it, they referred me to a dermatologist and I ended up having it removed. I didn't think it was anything serious but a few weeks after the operation I was called in and told that I had melanoma.

"I don't remember much of the conversation but it was terrifying. I ended up having further surgery and then found out the cancer spread to my lymph nodes and I'm still having treatment now. It's been really hard and has caused me a lot of anxiety. I'm a single parent to a four-year-old and I'd do anything to survive for her.”

Katie now has a two inch scar down the right hand side of her face from having the cancerous mole removed. She has also a scar under her chin where a lymph node was removed.

The young mum’s treatment (targeted therapy) finishes in June, but Katie said the fear of the cancer returning will never leave her.

"They will keep an eye on me for five years with frequent scans and checks, and then I think after that I would be technically in remission. But I’ll always have that scary feeling of ‘what happens if it comes back’. There’s always that voice in my head. Yes, I’ll have finished treatment and be moving on with my life, but I won’t really be moving on with my life because there’ll always be that worry.”

Katie said she will have to take precautions with her skin for the rest of her life.

"Even when the weather is overcast, I would still wear Factor 50. And anywhere I go I have a UV umbrella. I really just can’t take the risk, especially being on treatment because that’s one of the side effects to my treatment, that you can get new skin cancer.”

New research from the charity Melanoma Focus shows that that sunbed use is alarmingly high across the UK and that Belfast is the ‘sunbed capital’ with 37% of adults in the city reporting using sunbeds. Across the UK it rises to 43% of 18-25 year olds, with the study showing that many people don’t realise they increase the risk of skin cancer.

The charity, along with medical experts, has expressed serious concerns about the high usage of sunbeds and its impact on the rising number of skin cancer cases across the country. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, kills 2,300 people in the UK per year, with around 100 deaths per year are linked with sunbed use.

Looking back, Katie said she didn’t realise how dangerous sunbeds are.

"I didn’t realise how serious it could get. I heard people saying ‘I’ve had skin cancer cut out of me’, but you don’t think it can be as deadly as it actually is."

And despite seeing her develop skin cancer and go through treatement, she said she knows a lot of people who still use sunbeds.

"Their motto is ‘at least I’ll die with a tan’, but if they were put in my predicament and had a young family they wouldn’t do it. It’s really not worth it. You are playing Russian roulette with your body. Your skin is your largest organ, you wouldn’t do it to your heart, or your kidneys or your lungs, so why do it to your skin. Tanning salons are everywhere in Belfast, it's quite scary when you think how dangerous they are."

Katie said having skin cancer has put her life on hold.

“I can’t go anywhere. I have to limit what I do on a day-to-day basis. I almost feel guilty because one of the side effects (of treatment) is being tired, so I can’t spend the time I want to with my daughter, but I would rather take one year out of my life to live than not live.”

Susanna Daniels, CEO of Melanoma Focus, said: “The proliferation of sunbed use across the UK is alarmingly high and it’s shocking that so many people don’t realise how dangerous they are.

“Melanoma skin cancer rates are rising in the UK and it’s an increasingly serious health concern. The good news is that 86% of melanomas are preventable by avoiding ultraviolet radiation, which comes from the sun or from sunbeds.

“We strongly advise against using sunbeds in order to protect your skin and reduce your chances of being diagnosed with melanoma or other skin cancers.”

Professor Catherine Harwood, Consultant Dermatologist and Melanoma Focus Trustee added:

“We know that sunbed use is a significant risk factor for developing melanoma. Sunbeds emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which damages the DNA of skin cells leading to genetic mutations and other changes that can cause the growth of cancerous cells.

“It’s very concerning that so many young people are regularly using sunbeds, unaware of the long-term consequences to their health.

"It is crucial that people understand the dangers of sunbed use and protect their skin from excessive UV radiation to reduce the risk of developing melanoma.”