UK MELANOMA PATIENT CALLS FOR TOTAL BAN ON SUNBEDS

Mark Carter knows the fear of living with melanoma, and wants to make sure that others are given the chance to be saved from the same fate.

By calling for a UK ban on sunbeds Mark is hoping to mirror the success of campaigns in other areas of the world. In Australia sunbed use has been banned in several states. Mark Carter, a stage 4 Melanoma patient and Emma Stevens, who lost two friends to malignant melanoma are callling for the UK Government to ban them. They have set up a petition 'Consider a Nationwide ban on Sunbeds' and are inviting members of the general public to sign it.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has moved Ultra-Violet emitting tanning beds to its highest cancer risk category and labelled them as carcinogenic to humans.

Cancer Research UK has also highlighted that sunbeds increase the risk of melanoma skin cancer - the most serious form of the disease. Sunbed use can increase the risk of a life-threatening form of skin cancer by around 75 per cent.

Australian 'Sunbedban' founder, Jay Allen a stage 3 melanoma survivor has been behind the success in Australia welcomes this UK campaign. Jay has joined Emma and Mark to help push for a solarium ban the UK. "SunbedbanUK is going to save many lives, I’ll be working together with Emma and Mark on this serious health issue."

Gill Nuttall of patient support group Factor 50 said "I applaud Mark and Emma for this initiative. The ban on under 18s was a step in the right direction, but I have always believed that a complete ban is necessary. These salons are not regulated properly, and you only have to look at the rising rates of melanoma to acknowledge that a complete ban ought to be considered'

Mark has set up a website http://sunbedban.co.uk/ as well as Facebook pages Sunbed Ban UK and Sunbed Awareness Group UK, both containing links and the latest news stories that highlight the dangers of sunbed use. For more information please contact Mark Carter on 01724 764266.Or email him at sunbedbanuk@mail.com
http://www.sunbedban.co.uk