A TEENAGER told of her cancer diagnosis after 22 friends showed their support in a charity headshave.

Sophie McNair has been boosted by the support of friends who decided to go bald in a show of solidarity with the 17-year-old, who is battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Their online fundraising efforts stood at £2,431 last night after the shearing session. Donations included a £350 donation from Newman College Student Union, at Cardinal Newman college which Sophie and many of her smooth-headed friends attend.

Sophie was diagnosed with the rare cancer, which affects young adults more commonly than other age groups, in September.

Having suffered a hacking cough and problems eating for several months, she first went to the doctor in July with a lump in her neck.

But the correct diagnosis was not made until later in the year after a biopsy at the St George’s hospital in London, at which point the cancer was at Stage 3B-. The most serious is stage 4.

Sophie said: “The worst part was the two days between the biopsy and the diagnosis.

“You know something is wrong but you are in limbo.

“It was scary but I was happy to be moving forward.

“The oncologists were amazing, they explained everything that could happen which could be scary to a lot of people but I like to know all the possibilities.

“It was overwhelming but nice to have some structure in the surrealness of it all, when they explain what your life will be like for the next six months.”

Having started a course of chemotherapy in October, the tumour in Sophie’s neck has responded well to treatment and she is expected to make a full recovery - and regain the hair which has fallen out as a result of the treatment.

Her friends came up with the idea of a head shave among themselves, and barber shop Teddy Edwards, in Hove, agreed to open late and run their clippers for free.

Sophie’s friend Joe Waygood said: “It was a great night, at one point there were four barbers shaving one guy’s head because he’d run down on a break from work.

“It is a bit chilly being bald at this time of year but we’re all high spirited.”

Once all her friends had been shaved, Sophie removed her wig for the first time in public since losing her hair, to take photos with her friends, which she said was “very freeing.”

The funds are being donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust, which Sophie said had provided “fantastic” support to her over the last few months.

To donate online go to https://www.gofundme.com/bravethashave