A BRAVE 51-year-old Newport woman has had her waist-length hair cut off for charity this week, after she was diagnosed with the same cancer which her sister died from.

Mo Walters was told by doctors she had lung cancer on July 10 after she had a chest infection which kept coming back “with a vengeance”.

Doctors said the cancer is as big as a 10p piece and Mrs Walters has since started a course of chemotherapy.

She decided to have her long hair shaved off as part of Macmillan’s Brave the Shave campaign, which her sister Katherine Collins also did six years ago before she died aged 42.

Her long plait ponytail was donated to the Little Princess Trust, a charity which provides wigs and hair pieces for children who suffer hair loss because of cancer treatment.

On Tuesday Mrs Walters and husband John went to KJ’s barbers in Chepstow Road forwhere she had the chop.

She said: “I was gutted because it started to come out on the Sunday. Then I washed it and there seemed to be more in the shower than on my head. Then it was coming out in clumps. So it was the right time to do it.”

Speaking about her diagnosis, Mrs Walters said: “It’s there, you just have to deal with it. 

“I got a wig from Cardiff and I’m feeling very positive. 

“We were there when my sister had her hair done. It’s quite emotional. But she took it all in her stride.”

Mrs Walters estimates she has raised about £100 so far but is still collecting money.

She said the chemotherapy is difficult, but she has good days and bad days.

She said: “You don’t know what each day’s going to be like, you just take every day as it comes. They have been absolutely brilliant at Velindre.”

Husband John Walters added: “I’m very proud of her. The first couple of weeks she would cry a little bit but since she’s been down to the doctors she’s been sorting it all out and it’s been great.”

To pick up a sponsorship form or donate, visit Tesco in Spytty, the Windsor Castle pub or restaurant Hot Rocks.