A “BRAVE” 11-year-old girl is doing something unthinkable for many people her age, sacrificing much of her “lovely hair” to help raise thousands for urgent cancer treatment.

Evie Ceeney, from Highams Park, is cutting up to 12 inches of her today (February 15), to help raise money for her friend’s mother who is battling cancer.

The Little Princess Trust will use Evie’s hair to make wigs for children with cancer, who have lost their own through treatment.

“I got the idea when my mum was diagnosed with cancer,” said Evie.

“I felt that it was my duty to help people like her.

“I grew up with a boy whose mum was also diagnosed with cancer at about the same time as my mum.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Brave Evie said it was her "duty" to do something

“Sadly, her cancer spread and there is currently no cure, only treatment after treatment.

“Her name is Julie, and she is struggling with her on-going treatment and needs to try alternatives, which come at a price.”

Mum of two, Julie Strelley-Jones, needs £250,000 to fund critical treatment in the UK and abroad.

Conventional treatments failed to stop her aggressive breast cancer progressing, with it spreading to her liver, lungs and bones.

Evie’s mum, Kate Ceeney, faced the same diagnosis in 2012 but after an operation, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, she was told her breast cancer was in remission.

She said: “They say at five years if it hasn’t come back it hopefully won’t come back.

“I’m at four years now so I hope I can stay lucky, I’m just trying to keep my head down for my kids.”

The mum-of-two remembers Evie being teased at school when her hair loss started during her treatment.

She added: “Kids would make really horrible comments to her about my hair and how I was going to die.

“One of the worst things for me was losing my hair, I know it sounds silly as you want to be living.

“But as a woman losing her hair it’s a massive ordeal so for my daughter and all the other girls giving their hair, it’s an enormous thing to do.

“It’s going to be an emotional day for me, she has such lovely hair.”

For information on how to donate, head to Evie’s JustGiving page.