Dear All

My name is Fleur and in November 1998, just days after my 4th birthday, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). I underwent two years of chemotherapy at the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital and three weeks of punishing radiotherapy at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. During this time, due to my treatment, I lost my hair. As a result of having encountered radiotherapy, it grew back in patches. My hair failed to naturally regain which had a huge impact on the next 8 years of my life. I was severely bullied by narrow minded, and self centered individuals who saw me as different and used it as an opportunity to humiliate and belittle me as I was not seen to be "perfect". I endured 8 years of being taunted with cruel names and chants, the effects of this undermined my confidence to the point where I no longer wanted to go to school and my attendance fell as low as 40%.

"No one deserves to be afraid of going to school, work or to just walk down the street as our lives need not be defined nor shaped by the views of others."

Now at 19 I no longer feel ashamed of having lost my hair and have chosen to share my story with you. I want to raise awareness not only for fighting Leukaemia but what others like me have to endure. Having been in remission for 14 years and with thanks to the Ailsbury Hair Clinic who have enabled me to take control of this situation though applying density to my own hair I now no longer have to depend upon hair extensions either. There are so many people out there who don’t realize how serious blood cancers are, I have been one of the lucky ones. This is why it is so important that research continues. For this reason, I have decided to "Shave for cancer" and to try and raise as much money as I possibly can in aid of fighting Leukaemia. The shave itself is to take place in London and will be done by Tony Rizzo, Founder of the Alternative Hair Show and its charity fighting Leukaemia.

Thank you all for taking the time to read my story and I hope that you will help me on this journey to raise awareness and help beat this disease.

Kindest regards

Fleur Guyton