A WOMAN from Ilminster has braved the shave to help her best friend after she was diagnosed with cancer.

Dawn Holden, who lives in Broadway, decided to raise funds for Breast Cancer Research Aid to support her friend Sharon Barnes, who is a cancer patient.

Dawn said she cried when she heard about the diagnosis and she was shocked to hear her friend had cancer, so she decided to help.

Earlier this month she braved the shave at Barber Code in Ilminster, run by Sharon’s son.

Dawn’s Go Fund Me page says she has so far managed to raise £265 but it is still possible to make donations.

Chard & Ilminster News:

Sharon, from Chard, said: “My friend is trying to raise £550 by shaving her hair. I started it off and then my son continued because he is a barber.

“She wanted to do it to support me and I felt speechless.

“She had lovely long hair so I said, ‘no, surely you don’t want to do it’ but she said ‘yes’.

Dawn said: “I decided to shave my hair to raise money and help out.

“I have known her for three or four years, when I heard she had cancer I just cried, it was a shock.

“She had already shaved her hair so I was pleased to do that.

“I raised 550 but there will be more money coming into the fund at the end of the month.

“She was shocked when I said I wanted to shave my hair but I told her I wanted to do so to help out and I am happy I did it.”

Dawn’s fundraising page can be found here.

Breast Cancer Research Aid is a cancer prevention charity.

A message on their website says: "From preventing the disease to innovating new ways to deciphering why some families have increased susceptibility; today, we know more about breast cancer than ever before.

"Research is improving care, producing better outcomes, and transforming lives with each passing day."