Mum on catwalk after recovery from cancer

A YEAR ago, young mum Honor Hailwood discovered she had cancer after finding two lumps on her neck.

Her daughter Isla – her world – was only two at the time, and Honor just 22. But 12 months on, Honor is now in remission and preparing to take to the catwalk at Manchester Airport to raise money for the team that supported her through her journey with the disease.

Honor was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma almost nine months after first visiting her GP. She said: “I was in absolute shock. It didn’t sink in properly for a while. In fact, it possibly still hasn’t.”

From summer to December 2015, she visited the doctor several times complaining of ‘excruciatingly itchy’ skin, sharp pains in her lungs and a persistent cough.

But it wasn’t until February 2016, while playing with Isla at an indoor play centre, that she felt the glands in her neck had swollen up. After further blood tests and an ultrasound, Honor and her loved ones were finally dealt the devastating news that she had blood cancer.

She said: “I was absolutely gobsmacked. I must have been in shock, my mum said that I was smiling the whole time I was receiving my diagnosis.”

Honor, 23, began treatment on the Teenage Cancer Trust’s Young Oncology Unit at The Christie in Withington and underwent six rounds of chemotherapy.

She said: “I can’t imagine how different my experience of this all would have been without Teenage Cancer Trust and all the things they do to help make things a bit easier Honor Hailwood, with daughter Isla and during her cancer fight for young people. Being diagnosed with cancer at such a young age really showed me who was there for me. My mum didn’t leave my side for months and dealt with absolutely everything for me.”

On Friday, March 31, Honor will be one of around 100 young models to take to the catwalk in this year’s Runway on the Runway at Manchester Airport, many of whom are living with or have been affected by cancer.

It’s the third time the event has been held in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust, with last year’s show raising more than £40,000.

Honor, from Crewe, added: “I can’t wait to take part in the show. I really feel like it’s time for me to give back to Teenage Cancer Trust – the charity that has helped me so much.”

For tickets visit www.runwayontherunway.co.uk.

To support Honor go to www. justgiving.com/fundraising/HonorHailwood.