My name’s Ellie, I’m 21 years old. In 2010, when I was 17, I was diagnosed with a very rare case of cancer; I’d been living with a slow-growing tumour since the day I was born.

 

Within two weeks of my prognosis, I’d had 8 hours of gruelling surgery; my chest cut open with a 10 inch incision, breast bone sawed in half and ribs pulled back and held open with clamps; all to remove the tumour that had found itself a home within my chest cavity. The surgery left me with three chest drains sticking out from in between my ribs, draining fluid off my lungs. I had 2 incisions from the biopsy 10 days before; one of which was severely infected. I left hospital with 12 different medications, and had to self-inject my stomach for 6 weeks to prevent a blood clot forming in the main artery in my left arm. Recovery was incredibly tough, but I have been so lucky.

 

You hear so many stories of young people who lose their lives to cancer, and I live every day asking why. But I am a survivor, and I desperately want (and need) to help other young people who are battling this evil disease.

 

SO...I am going to shave my head, entirely.

Losing your hair during treatment is one of the most devastating aspects of suffering with cancer, especially when you’re young. I want to help spread the message that with or without hair, you are still exactly the same person inside - bald is beautiful!

So please, just take a few moments to donate & spread the word! I cannot tell you how much I’d appreciate it.