AN inspirational mum-of-six diagnosed with liver cancer is giving her hair to charity – before the disease takes it from her.

Marie Walsingham, of St Christophers Close, Canvey, says her world was completely turned upside down when she was diagnosed with primary liver cancer last month.

But Marie, 32, whose children are aged between three and 16, says she is determined to beat the disease.

And she will be shaving her head next month so she can donate her hair to Locks of Love, which makes wigs for children who lose their hair.

She said: “My husband and I both know I’m not the type of person who will think ‘what if?’ “I can’t afford to think like that because I have a family – I must beat this.

“I can’t afford to let it take me.

I want to see my children grow up and have families and become a nan myself.”

Marie found out there was something wrong after she and husband Sam, 27, decided to try for a baby.

After not falling pregnant, she went to the doctors, and was told she had enzymes in her liver.

The cancer had spread across half of Marie’s liver when she was diagnosed on February 20.

She said: “Sam and I both broke down crying.

“Being told you or your loved one has cancer is the worst news anyone can ever get.

“We just held each other and talked about how we were going to tell our children.

“I will have 12 sessions of chemotherapy and after that I will see if the tumor has shrunk.”

Primary liver cancer is most common in men over 65 and symptoms include unexplained weight loss, nausea, vomiting and tiredness.

Marie has started a blog, My Fight Against Cancer – Kicking Cancer’s Arse, in which she will write about her battle. To view it, visit http://tiamaria129.wordpress.

com/diagnosis.

Marie’s fundraising day is on Saturday, April 26, with all funds going to Macmillan Cancer Support. Entertainment will include stalls, a bouncy castle, a snake holding session and more.

It will be held at the Salvation Army, in Mitchells Avenue, Canvey, from 12.30pm. Entry is free.