A CANCER survivor is urging people to back a charity who helped her beat the disease.

Charlotte Crowl, who battled stage three lymphoblastic lymphoma when she was 17, is encouraging east Londoners to donate funds to CLIC Sargent for World Cancer Day.

The 27-year-old, from Ilford, is approaching eight years cancer-free thanks to the charity’s financial, emotional and practical support.

Charlotte says: “When I was diagnosed with cancer I was in a weird place and I don’t think I really accepted it at first.

“My CLIC Sargent support worker was a massive help, I’d be lost without her because there is so much information to take in and having someone who could help make sure I got the available things out there for me was a big stress release.

“There were other benefits too like getting to meet some of CLIC Sargent’s celebrity ambassadors and making it into their information book.”

Ms Crowl underwent an operation on a golf ball-sized tumour and went through two years of high-dose chemotherapy.

During her recovery, she suffered a rare side effect that left her unable to walk, talk or swallow.

She received the all clear from doctors in April 2010.

World Cancer Day is on Sunday, February 4.

To mark the event, several high street retailers will be selling Band Against Cancer wristband for £2. For more information, visit: clicsargent.org.uk/WorldCancerDay.