A NEWPORT woman, who is fighting cancer for the second time in two years, has raised hundreds of pounds for research.

Alison Jane Byard, of Hood Road Ringland, was diagnosed with cervical cancer two years ago. She underwent a hysterectomy and was able to beat the disease.

In November of last year she decided to give something back and fundraise for the first time.

She said: “I’ve always wanted to do it and then when something happens to you, you just think you’ve got to.”

The 48-year-old opted for a head shave.

“It was very long, half-way down my back,” she added. “I was crying when they cut it off.”

Ms Byard arranged for an event at the Baneswell Social Club on boxing day for the shave, where she wad joined by Alfie Watts, who had his head shaved, and his back waxed too.

But then in December, Ms Byard found out she had bowel cancer. With the event already arranged she decided to go ahead with it, but with the illness taking up most of her time since, it is only now she has managed to collect her sponsorship money.

Ms Byard has undergone an operation to remove the tumour but treatment is still ongoing. She will have to wait until October to find out of she’s got the all clear, otherwise it will be chemotherapy.

“It’s like getting back on your feet, then having another blow,” she said.

The mother-of-four, who also has four grandchildren, works in catering at the Royal Gwent Hospital, where she’s been for 11 years.

Ms Byard has now returned to work part-time. She said: “I’m determined to go to work to keep the routine going.”

She has raised £400, mostly from work friends and the money has gone to Velindre research. She said she would definitely fundraise again and added: “Without research, we wouldn’t know anything.”