I'm Leyah Shanks - a positive body image campaigner. I created a blog called The Body Confidence Revolution - a space designed to celebrate real life bodies and bring attention to how wonderfully diverse we human beings are. Since its creation, I have been lucky enough to be featured in Cosmopolitan UK, LOOK Magazine, become a Huffington Post UK blogger, a PLUS Model Magazine writer, a columnist for Curva Magazine and am an ambassador for TalkLife.

For the last 3 years I have worked tirelessly to spread a message of complete body positivity including sharing real stories as well as a positive mental state, advocate for equality for all, animal welfare and to support charities where I can. This January, I took part in Cancer Research UK's Dryathlon. Now, I want to take it a step further.

Last year, my family had a cancer scare. I can say with no doubt whatsoever, that this was the scariest time of my life. But we were lucky. Other people aren't. Cancer still takes lives. I would like to raise £500 for Cancer Research UK to help kick cancer's butt sooner. If I manage to reach my target, I will shave my head. It saddens me deeply that when someone is hit with the news that they have cancer, they have to worry about losing their hair, because of how it looks. So, through shaving my own hair off (whilst not being ill) I hope to make a couple of points; 1. Having an illness like cancer doesn't define you as a person. 2. Hair or no hair, you're gorgeous. 3. Therefore, being bald is nothing to be ashamed of.

Thanks so much for reading this. Any support you can show would be greatly received.

100% of any donations you choose to make will go to Cancer Research UK.