A BRADING woman is braving the shave later today (Friday) ­— raising money for a charity very close to her heart.

At 5pm, Stacey Attrill-Butler will be waving goodbye to her luscious locks at the Gully Howard Chartered Surveyors in Newport.

She will be donating her hair to the Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs and hair pieces for children who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions.

"My hair from root to tip measures just over 40cm," said Stacey.

"I'm doing this in memory of when my late mum started treatment, and we made the decision to shave her head.

"My sister, my mum and I were in the kitchen at home at the time. She laughed ­— her children bawled their eyes out.

"Watching my mum go through all the pain of treatment, the after-treatment, and eventually watching her fade away was utterly heartbreaking.

"I was grieving even before she passed. I can honestly say it was the toughest time of my life.

"Hair makes up so much of a person’s identity ­— particularly for women.

"I want to show my support and solidarity for people going through treatment right now, in the hope that the money raised will help fund vital research.

"My whole family has been affected by cancer is one way or another ­— most recently my uncle, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year, but was advised it could be managed and he could have longevity with top-up chemotherapy.

"In April, he finished the course of chemo, but in June he had an appointment with his oncologist who advised the cancer had spread to his lungs and peritoneal area.

"It is aggressive and there is no more that can be done for him.

"Please, please, please donate, so we can work to find a cure.

"Invest in your future, and the future of those you love. I want a future without cancer."

Stacy's mother, Diane Attrill, died in 2013 aged 54, following a two-year battle with ovarian cancer.

She had the BRCA1 gene ­— a mutation which means a higher risk of developing a number of different cancers.

Stacy also lost her grandfather to lung cancer, and her grandmother to bowel cancer.

All money raised will go to Cancer Research UK.

To make a donation, visit www.fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/staceys-giving-page