WHEN her sister was diagnosed with cancer, one Suffolk woman decided she could not just sit back and do nothing.So Nell Newson has taken the big step of losing her hair – and has roped in fiance Brian Craven to join her in her crusade.

WHEN her sister was diagnosed with cancer, one Suffolk woman decided she could not just sit back and do nothing.

So Nell Newson has taken the big step of losing her hair – and has roped in fiance Brian Craven to join her in her crusade.

All the money raised will be going to the Raise the Roof campaign, launched by the Evening Star and Cancer Campaign in Suffolk (CCIS) to build a new cancer education and information centre at Ipswich Hospital.

So far CCIS has raised £210,000 since 1998 to build the centre which will be there for all sectors of the community to use to find out everything they need to know about cancer, options for treatment and the benefits available to them.

Ms Newson, 48 from Saxmundham said: "I just don't feel I can do enough for my sister.

"I am not really worried about my hair because it will grow back – it is not very long but it is very curly."

The big day is on May 22 and their heads will be shaved at The Queen's Head pub in Saxmundham at 7.30pm.

As a shop assistant at BC Fisher Ironmonger in Saxmundham High Street she said her manager was not too happy about her decision to lose her locks.

She said: "He thinks the customers won't appreciate being served by a bald-headed person."

But she is hoping that when the customers find out the reason they will only be too happy to help her out.

She knows just how important the new information centre will be, not just for patients but for relatives too.

She said that some patients don't like talking about their condition so it is up to friends and family members to find out for themselves.

"That information centre would have been invaluable for me," she said.

"You could go and ask all sorts of questions and find out exactly what it is all about."

nLet us know about your fundraising events to collect money for Raise the Roof by calling Evening Star newsdesk on 01473 324789 or e-mail StarNews@eveningstar.co.uk.

Donations can be made out to Raise the Roof and sent to Geraldine Thompson, Editors Secretary, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN.