A YORK mother who suffered leukaemia as a child will mark her 30th birthday next month by raising money for a relative who has terminal cancer.

The parents of Hayley Horlock, nee Welch, feared she might never reach adulthood after being struck down by leukaemia at the age of six.

After the illness was successfully tackled by three gruelling courses of chemotherapy, doctors feared the side-effects might leave her unable to have children, but she went on to have two daughters, Ellie-Mae, now 12, and Sophie, 11.

She said she had recently found out that their uncle, Sean Coxhead, of Holgate Road, had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

“As I’m sure you can understand, this is obviously very close to home with my own personal experience,” Hayley said.

She said she had therefore decided to celebrate her 30th birthday next month with a party at Huntington Sports Club which she was turning into a fundraiser for Sean and his wife Karina.

Her daughters also wanted to do some fundraising for the family, so they could create some precious memories with their young daughter, Freya.

She said Ellie-Mae was coming up with fundraising things to do at the party, such as a raffle and bake sale.

“Sophie is also planning to cut off her beautiful long hair and donate it to the Princess Trust, again a very personal cause with my history,” she said.

Back in the mid-1990s, The Press reported how Hayley feared that her dream of becoming a bridesmaid might not come true.

She had been due to become one when her aunt announced she was getting married, but her hopes were put in jeopardy after she lost her hair because of chemotherapy.

The family then got round the problem by making a special stylish hat for Hayley to wear during the wedding.

Hayley revealed that her experiences as a child had inspired her to seek to become a nurse, and she had just started an access course at York College in the hope of going on to study for a university nursing degree, although she also still worked as a supervisor at the Pavement Vaults.

Hayley added: “We want to thank Helen Tate at Head Shed salon for offering to cut Sophie’s hair for us.”