Former cancer patient and tattoo artist Alex Hennerley seen here at work during her cancer treatment.
Chris Thomas, Chairman of Dorset Cancer Care Foundation.
Tattoo artist Alex Hennerley was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer at just 28. The owner of Adorned Tattoo in Ashley Cross, Poole, found herself caring for her young son and trying to run her business, while undergoing months of gruelling cancer treatment.
Alex said, “I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, just days before my son, Theo, turned two.
“I found a lump, but the doctor and even the specialist told me it was probably nothing to worry about as I was so young, but unfortunately the biopsy proved different.”
Alex, who lives in Poole, was told she had a triple negative, grade three form of breast cancer, an aggressive and fast-growing strain of the disease. She said, “I needed surgery to remove the lump, followed by six months of chemotherapy and a month of radiotherapy.
“I spent my month of radiotherapy going straight from Poole Hospital to work, as I couldn’t afford not to.
“It was exhausting and pretty terrifying but my family and the other tattoo artists here were fantastic and helped me get through it.”
Luckily, Alex found her cancer early and was treated before it could spread to her lymph nodes and other parts of her body. Now 30, and in remission, she is supporting the Dorset Cancer Care Foundation (DCCF) which helps other cancer sufferers across the county. She said, “A member of DCCF came into my shop recently and asked me to support the charity.
“It was the first I had heard of it, but I was really impressed by what it does for local people.”
DCCF was founded in 2012 by three women from Poole to provide financial assistance to local cancer sufferers and their families. Every penny raised by the charity stays in Dorset and helps fund individual grants for anything from the cost of travel to hospital, to wigs following chemotherapy, and childcare.
Alex said, “If someone had told me about DCCF when I had cancer it could have probably helped me through a very difficult time in my life.
“But I’m just pleased the charity is helping other sufferers and I am happy to do what I can to support it by displaying one of the charity’s collecting boxes during its upcoming fundraising week and giving them Adorned Tattoo gift vouchers to auction.”
Adorned Tattoo is one of around 150 businesses which have already signed up to take part in DCCF’s Awareness Week, which runs from 12 to 19 September 2015. Companies, schools and organisations are being encouraged to hold events, raffles, dress-up days or just simply to display one of DCCF’s collecting boxes.
Charity chairman Chris Thomas said, “We are very grateful for Alex’s help.
“Cancer can bring a host of hardships and struggles, but fundraising for DCCF means you are helping people in your community in some of their darkest days.”
For confidential information on how DCCF can help you or a loved one during cancer, phone: 07593 890 879 or email: info@dccf.co.uk
To get involved in DCCF’s Awareness Week contact Diane Bird on: 07718318735 or email dibirddccf@outlook.com
The charity can supply free banners, balloons and collecting tins. Visit www.dccf.co.uk for more information.
