INSPIRATIONAL teen Chloe Carter had her hair shaved for charity in preparation for months of gruelling chemotherapy to beat cancer.
Uffculme School pupil Chloe, 15, from Sampford Peverell previously thought she had beaten Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014 but found a new lump in her neck during September 2015 which was later confirmed as cancer.
The year ten pupil had her head shaved at Classic Cuts Salon in Westexe for the Little Princess Trust on Monday, December 28, the day before starting five months of intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Her treatment began on Tuesday, December 29 at the Bramble Oncology ward at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital where she will be staying.
Her father Philip Carter said: “We know the chemo will cure it, but it is the damage that is done to Chloe’s body which is the main concern.
“She will be on antibiotics which may or may not fight infections. That is a risk; a big risk. It is more of a danger to her than the cancer.
“Chloe is a very fit and strong person though, she hasn’t complained once about it. She gets on with it. She is an inspiration.”
The chemotherapy will be more intense than when Chloe was treated with the disease at the beginning of 2014.
“They did the minimum they could to get the best results,” Mr Carter added.
“It’s a lot more intensive this time around, a lot more invasive and there will be more side effects and damage to her body.”
The Little Princess Trust will use the hair to create wigs for children who have lost their own due to chemotherapy. As well as hair, Chloe has raised over £300 because of the cut and added it to the £12,500 she has raised since 2014 for Clic Sargent, Bramble Oncology and her own charity, the Children’s Cancer Recognition.
Chloe, who would have lost her hair due to the chemotherapy said: “It’s really surreal because last time I had it done, it was upsetting and quite hard, but I didn’t know what to expect.
“Now I know what I will be going through it makes it harder.
“I don’t want to look in the mirror because I know what I looked like before and it’s like running race - I got so far and now it feels like I’ve been pushed right back to the beginning.”
Chloe has recently volunteered with Clic Sargent at the shop on Phoenix Lane and was working towards her Duke of Edinburgh Award before finding the lump. She also won the Gazette’s Pride of Mid Devon fundraiser of the year award.
Clic Sargent will help Chloe with her GCSE studies during the difficult months ahead.
“I don’t think I’ll be in school so often, but I’ve been given support from the hospital and Clic Sargent before.
“The hospital’s school helped a lot last time and my Clic Sargent social working said she would help with some extra tuition and home tuition because of what I will miss.”
You can find more about Chloe and her charity on the Facebook page / ccr-470231666410242
28 сен 2024
