THE REAL REASON WHY THIS DAD HAS TO WEAR FAKE TAN
Cancer survivor who can’t go out in the sun tells of hurtful remarks he’s had because of his glow
IT’S not unusual for men to wear fake tan these days. The market for male beauty products and cosmetics is booming and is now a multi-billion pound worldwide industry.
But people can still be quick to judge, as one man from the Rhondda has discovered only too well.
Sean Mccabe, of Tonyrefail, wears fake tan almost every day, forking out around £30 a month on products like St Tropez Fake Tan.
The father of three is often asked if he has been away on holiday, or if he is wearing fake tan.
“Every day I get at least one comment asking if I’m wearing fake tan,” the 33-year-old said.
“I do get a lot of funny looks and people sometimes say things like: ‘Oh my God, you look orange’ and ‘Got enough tan on or what?’
“It does get you down, but I just brush it off.
“People are quick to judge you by what you look like on the outside, but they have no clue about what’s going on inside.”
Unbeknown to some, there is a heartbreaking reason why Sean wears fake tan.
He was diagnosed with cancer in June 2013, then aged 28, and was started on an intensive chemotherapy course.
Despite being given the all-clear in September, he was given the heartbreaking news just two months later that his cancer had returned, that it was more aggressive than before, and that he had just a couple of months to live.
Believing he was going to die, Sean booked local church St David’s Church for his funeral in late January 2014, thinking he would be long dead by then.
Sean planned every moment of his funeral after being diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, choosing the music, food and even the venue.
He even penned a heart-wrenching letter to his children for girlfriend Lisa Williams to read out to them after his death.
However, despite the odds being stacked against him, Sean went into remission and was given the all-clear again in April 2015.
He cancelled the church booking he had made for his own funeral and re-booked it for his wedding instead.
After making a full recovery, the effects of cancer and chemotherapy have left Sean not being able to go out in the sun.
Doctors have warned him that over-exposure to UV rays could lead to the cancer returning. So instead he uses fake tan. “Obviously when I was ill and first came out of hospital, I was told I could never go in the sun again.
“Because of all the chemo and treatment, it means I’m really prone to skin cancer. So, I thought, fake tan would be a perfect solution for that.
“I wanted a colour, not for anyone else, but for myself.
“I spent so long in hospital, looking unwell – I just wanted to feel normal.
“I think fake tan is a great confidence booster for cancer patients.
“It’s just so sad that some people are made to feel embarrassed, or that they can’t wear it because of what people will say.
“I’m quite lucky that I’m such a positive person, but at the end of the day, I’ve still got feelings.
“I don’t smoke. I don’t drink. If this is what makes me happy, then why not let me just do it?”
Fed up with the negative comments, Sean took to social media to explain his story, with the post gaining a huge response.
Writing on his Facebook page, Sean Mccabe Cancer Survivor, he said: “I get judged and asked all the time; ‘have you been away on holidays’ or ‘do you use fake tan’. So, I thought I’d tell everyone on social media – yes I do.”
Posting a photograph of his St Tropez Fake Tan delivery on Facebook, he added: “This is my delivery. I get asked why do I use fake tan and the reason is that after having blood cancer, chemotherapy and full body radiation, the doctors advised me not to go in the sun.
“This is because there is a higher risk of getting cancer again, due to all that treatment.
“I don’t use tan for anyone else but for myself. I always liked having a tan before my battle with cancer and still like my tan after battling this awful disease.
“But, I think it’s a much wiser way now. I don’t use sun-beds or sunbathe outside.
“Believe me, after having a second chance in life, after experiencing the battle with cancer – you learn to think before you do things in life.
“I wonder if I’ll be less judged now.”