Hello friends, family, and kind strangers,

Thank you for taking a moment to read my story and understand why I'm raising money for Cancer Research.

In 2017, at the age of 30, I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. It started as a slow-growing type, so I began with low-dose radiotherapy in 2018 and didn't need chemo until 2020. The gentle kind that thinned my hair but didn't make me bald. In 2021, she turned aggressive, requiring heavier chemo, the 'red devil' to be precise, followed by a stem cell transplant at the end of that year. I am technically only 4 years old now, I call my cancer Gertrude, and this is how I cope with her.

At the end of 2021, I was terrified I wouldn't survive, but I made it through the transplant, and I've never been the same since. I've withdrawn from most of my friends, focusing on a few close people and work, which got me through this ordeal. Every day my cup starts to get bigger, but progress is slow, and that's okay.

I'll be honest, I feel guilty for making it through and I want to give back - find meaning in this trauma, and rediscover my purpose again.

My hair pre-chemo was long and luscious, my one love. Losing it felt like losing my power and shine. Luckily, when I had to shave it off, I wasn't alone and took power back through the process. You can see it here if you want (https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ8Gc6ujQRY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link).

Since then, I haven't been to the hairdressers. This is four years of hair growth, from chemo to recovery, including new chemo curls and regrowth. I want to shave it off on my birthday and donate it to the Princess Trust again. I hope to do this every four years - as long as my hair remains suitable for donation.

If you've read this far, thank you for your patience! Please consider donating £1 to Cancer Research or supporting my hair donation to the Princess Trust. Your kindness means the world to me.

Anyone concerned for my choice to shave vs cut - please know that I no longer have the same attachment to my hair, I'm healthy, it will grow back and the biggest difference here is that it is 100% my choice to do so. I'm doing this for a good cause, which fills my heart with joy. I'm in control this time and excited to give away my long locks. It will also help me feel cooler, thanks to the early onset menopause caused by all the treatments!

So, there's my story... Please spare a £1 to help make a difference.

For more information on the charities I'm supporting, please visit the follow sites:

(https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/)

(https://www.littleprincesses.org.uk/)

Thank you,

Jo xx