Hairdresser’s retro dream comes true after illness
A hairdresser who beat breast cancer has achieved her dream of opening a retro-themed salon.
Lucie Shoer discovered a lump in her breast in December 2014 and immediately got it checked out.
Between Christmas and New Year that year the mother of three and grandmother of one, now 52, was diagnosed with cancer.
Now, less than two years later, and after enduring gruelling surgery and treatment, she has opened Retro 47 at number 47 Union Street, Maidstone.
Her partner Ciaran Byrne, who she started seeing three years ago, just a year before she discovered the cancer, gave her the money to open the salon.
Miss Shoer, who had worked for other people for almost three decades, said: “I’m just getting on with it. I have amazing friends and family. I couldn’t have done it without them.
“You have everything taken away from you when you have cancer – your hair, your looks – but Ciaran made me feel beautiful the whole way through.”
‘I have amazing friends and family. I couldn’t have done it without them’
Miss Shoer, of Sutton Road, Maidstone, had her right breast removed and a lump taken out of her left. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy followed as well as reconstructive surgery, which had to be redone due to complications.
She has to take tablets for another four years before she can be declared in remission and said staff who treated her at Maidstone Hospital were “amazing”.
The new business owner, who has managed salons before, officially launched the venture on Saturday, October 22, and has staff who specialise in 40s and 50s hair styles.
Beauticians are also based at the salon and clients can choose to have permanent make-up done.
Miss Shoer has also spent time raising money to help others.
She and her friend Caroline Walters collected about £1,000 for Breast Cancer Now by doing a sponsored skydive at Headcorn Airfield.
She said: “I’m scared of heights so I thought I’d be petrified. When the door went up in the plane and you could see how high it was it was a bit freaky but it wasn’t too bad.
“I don’t think I’d do it again though.”