I remember Michelle (Shelley) from school, she was in the year above and of course that meant that we never spoke... there was a hieracrhy and you have to respect that! Then at 18 a mutual friend recommended her as a hairdresser when she was at SOLO in Alfreton, Derbyshire so I booked myself in, and i've never been to anyone else since.

Now 18 years later she faces the most unimaginable battle with the disease that plagues our society... Cancer.

I remember her mentioning a few years ago about having to have a mole removed on her torso, the doctors said it was nothing, sadly they were wrong. It was diagnosed afterwards as Melanoma, Cancer of the skin. I remember thinking, that doesn't happen to people our age, Michelle was 31 then. But she seemed ok and the doctors said they'd got it all, so you just sort of carry on don't you...

When I saw her we would have laughs about love and life, getting my hair done was like going out for a drink with a friend, except at the end I looked a million dollars, not like i'd be dragged through a hedge backwards.

When she set up on her own at His & Hairs (Swanwick) about 10 years ago, I was so proud of her, and truth be told a little envious. She was doing a job she loved and had a passion for, and had the freedom to be her own boss!! Ok, she was never going to make millions from it, but she was happy doing it and she inspired me to be a better person.

We are friends through social media and I loved to see her selfies and adventures, she loves to travel and try new things. Her outlook on life is so refreshing and I loved hearing about it all. We shared highs and lows, but lots of laughs.

I was aware of the 3 & 6 month Cancer screenings, but she was discharged in September 2016, seemingly she had beaten it.

Michelle bought her own house and did a fantastic job of revovating it, unfortunatley refused life insurance / critical illness due to her previous Melanoma,

Then at Easter this year, she told me she had found a lump under her arm and that it had been diagnosed as Cancer in her lymph nodes. I was devastated for her, but again she seemed so positive, plus the doctors had told her they could get it all out, and she would be fine. I saw her just before the operation for my usual cut / colour... I'm not a person who hugs others or shows emotion but I held her and wished her the best. I felt so much compassion and hoped that it would be ok. People our age don't get Cancer twice, we are too young, aren't we?

I visited her at home and she seemed to be ok, in pain of course but fighting it and doing well. The doctors were confident they had removed it all... Michelle's focus being to get back to work, get back to her loyal customers and her passion. Never wanting to let anyone down, even though she was in a lot of pain and discomfort.

This summer I saw her pictures of holidays with her partner and new dog Teddy. We chatted for hours about our obsession with canine creatures. Then last week she told me whilst mixing my colour (calmly I might add) that the Cancer had spread, she has stage 4 terminal Cancer. There was a silence, my brain wouldn't take it in... how is she still standing there? How can it spread whilst you are already receiving treatment and being monitored... this makes no sense. For a while we just carried on as normal. Then I asked a few questions, she is to have some revolutionary treatment, immunotherapy. I can't even spell it (probably) but I'm hoping it is the bee's knees and it can cure my friend. There are no words, and it doesn't matter how I feel, this is about Michelle.

The problem with owning your own business, is when you get sick how do you carry on with it? Paricularly when there are physical elements to it, and you are not able to function without being in pain? None of this is fair, I know that lots of things happen that aren't fair, we can't stop them all but we can do something to try and make her life a little more bareable.

All I want to do is help her. The last thing she needs is the worry of financial and business stress on top of the rest. Since telling me of her diagnosis, I have been told she has been admitted to hospital and is unable now to work for the forseeable furure, at what is her busiest work time period... Christmas.

I know what a proud and wonderful human being she is - Michelle Olney (formally Burton) and that she would never ask for money or help, but she would be the first to do this for someone else.

So I am doing the asking ... please can you donate some money to help her through this unimaginable time. To take some pressure off and give her the reassurance that people do care and love her. If you know her (or even if you don't) and want to help, dig deep, even though times are hard. Lets show some compassion. Prove that people do care about other people.

ALL proceeds made form this will go directly to Michelle.

The suport for this cause has been fantastic so far, we reached the target in 14 hours, 8 of which were overnight so I have raised it to £2000. It doesn't matter how small the amount, if you can afford it then please donate! Thank you so much everyone.