A Carnoustie mum who survived cancer is now fundraising for a charity that provides wigs to children who lose their hair during chemotherapy treatment.
Tanya Alavuk, 43, was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in January and subsequently had a cancerous tumour removed.
The operation was a success but a lymph gland taken from Tanya’s arm indicated the cancer had tried to spread.
This led to a further procedure removing all the lymph glands in her arm earlier this month.
The Criminal Justice Service employee has now been advised to undergo a chemotherapy treatment to reduce the chances of the cancer returning.
Prior to the several months of treatment beginning on Thursday, Tanya decided to have all her hair cut off and donated to the Little Princess Trust.
She explained: “I’ve been warned that my hair will probably fall out, possibly in clumps.
“I’d rather just have it all off now and turned a bad situation into something positive, by donating the hair to the Little Princess Trust charity, which can turn it into a wig for a child who is also going through chemo.
“I’ve always had long hair and it’s going to be hard losing it but there are some beautiful wigs out there.”
Tanya said it was a complete shock hearing her diagnosis as she had no family history of the disease and even the consultants hadn’t expected to find anything.
“I feel I’ve been very lucky as well discovering it so early,” said Tanya, who has a 13-year-old son.
“It’s quite frightening that if I hadn’t been to the doctor for something else I would never have known.
“The best news I heard was that the cancer hadn’t affected the tissue surrounding the lump, so I didn’t have to have a mastectomy.
“The doctors told me there was about a 6% chance cancer would return in the future, unless I underwent the chemotherapy.
“It’s 18 weeks of treatment and another four weeks of radiotherapy but I know I’m going to be one of the lucky ones sitting in that room.”
Tanya said it was during the period waiting for the chemo to begin that she remembered reading about the Little Princess Trust and decided to donate her hair.
She also asked for donations to a JustGiving page, which has raised in excess of £1,000 in a few days.
“The nicest wigs are made of real hair but are very expensive and that is why I want to donate my hair to the Little Princess Trust who make wigs for children who have lost their own hair through chemo and other illnesses,” she said.
“I decided that waiting for my own hair to fall out in clumps would definitely distress me and it would be too late for me donate any.
“I decided to get it cut whilst still in good condition and make maybe one or two children happy.
“Even with the hair being donated the wigs cost about £2,000 to make, so that’s why I set up the Just Giving page to contribute towards that cost.
“I’ve been very surprised at the amount raised in such a short space of time.”
Donations to Tanya’s fundraising campaign can be made at www.justgiving.com/trancetanya.