Woman who competed with friends for best tan dies of cancer, aged 30

Woman who competed with friends for best tan dies of cancer, aged 30 Chelsea Tantum had been campaigning for a change to save other lives A woman who competed with friends for the best tan as a teenager has died from incurable cancer. Chelsea Tantum lost her fight with melanoma skin cancer. At 28, she had received a late diagnosis of melanoma. Just before her 30th birthday she received the news that it had spread to her brain – leaving her with stage 4 cancer. On September 30, Chelsea died at age 30. Tributes have poured in for the woman from Manchester, with many urging people to carry on the message she preached after her diagnosis. Whilst battling the debilitating cancer that at one point left her in a wheelchair, Chelsea campaigned for change. To help warn others and to amend laws around sunbed usages, she decided to share her story and started a fundraiser for the charity Melanoma Focus. Chelsea revealed that she began using sunbeds at just 15-years-old and admitted that her friends would compete for the best tan. D espite being under 18, she was never asked for ID – something she then campaigned to change in her later years. From 15, she used them frequently for the next decade – which led to her devastating diagnosis. When the cancer was discovered it was at stage 3C and had already spread to her spine, ribs, pelvis, femurs, lungs, liver, spleen, and breast. Chelsea pleaded for mandatory ID checks for all people using sunbeds – which the government introduced in May this year. During her battle with cancer, where she went through a number of treatments, she managed to raise over £4,000 for the charity. Since the announcement of her death, family and friends have poured in with heartfelt tributes to Chelsea. 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 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 set to take place on October 23 at Albion Church, Ashton followed by Committal at Dukinfield Crematorium.