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Cancer victim's brave charity effort
A BATTLING student struck down with cancer aged just 20 took the brave step of having her head shaved before she loses her hair to the ravaging effects of chemotherapy.
agnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma six weeks ago, had her shoulder-length brown locks shaved off at the Curls Aloud salon, in Burn Road, Hartlepool, in front of her supportive family and friends.
The courageous student, of the town's King Oswy Drive, featured in the Mail on Thursday and told how she is determined to fight the disease.
She had her head shaved to raise money for other victims through the Lymphoma Association and estimates she has collected around 2,000 so far, with money still pouring in.
After having her head shaved, she told the Mail her new look felt "strange" and would take a while to get used to.
But Lauren added: "It was worth doing it to raise awareness of Hodgkin's lymphoma.
"I'm glad I did it. It would have been better to do it now than to have it fall out."
Lauren, whose parents are Sharon, a 49-year-old cleaner at the University Hospital of Hartlepool and Leslie, 51, a centre lathe turner, is undergoing trial therapy treatment which will see her receive three months of treatment rather than six.
Her first bout of treatment was last Friday and she is due to undergo another session on Thursday.
Lauren, who has had to take a break from her second year of a business studies course at Huddersfield University, told the Mail last week doctors initially thought she had mumps after a lump appeared on her neck in October.
Numerous tests and biopsies were carried out, some of which came back inconclusive, before she was dealt the shattering news in mid-January that she had Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The former English Martyrs School and Sixth Form pupil, who eventually would like a job in human resources, visited a specialist salon for a wig fitting on Wednesday and she has picked a highlighted style.
Lauren thanked everyone who has donated so far, including her housemates at university who shaved their hair and waxed their legs and eyebrows in support of their fellow student.
Anyone wishing to sponsor Lauren can do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/lauren-phillipson
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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