A mother of two who saw her two grandmothers die of cancer, supported her step-dad through his battle with the disease and then had to have a hysterectomy after her own scare, is to have her long hair cut as part of a charity fundraiser.

Toni Jennings has yet to set a date, but will be hosting a coffee and cake morning at MJ Hair and Beauty in Penryn early next month to raise money for the Royal Cornwall Hospital's Clinical Oncology And Cancer Care Appeal. At the same time, she will have her long tresses chopped and will donate her hair to the Little Princess Trust so it can be used to make wigs for young cancer patients.

"I'm so scared of having my hair cut," said Toni, 30. "I really love my hair and have not had it cut for a long, long time and have never had it short. But, with everything Phil has been through, with my tumour and losing my grans, I wanted to do something."

Toni's step-dad, Phil Avery, 46, who lives at Longfield in Falmouth with Toni's mum, Mel, was diagnosed with testicular cancer almost three-years-ago and was initially given only two weeks to live. Secondary cancer then spread to his lungs and stomach, but after several operations and intensive treatment, he is now cancer free and only needs blood tests every three months for the next three to five years.

Her grandmother Peggy Hogg fought bowel cancer but died last year and her great-grandmother, Sylvia Jennings succumbed to the disease three years ago.

Then, Toni, mum to Ashton, ten, and Rylan, seven, had her own brush with the disease. Having suffered from endometriosis for several years, for which she had keyhole surgery, she suddenly found herself in pain. It was thought she had a tumour in her uterus and as a result, knowing she didn't want anymore children, she fought to have a hysterectomy.

"I did manage to have that sorted and after that operation they said everything was fine. I went to a follow up appointment six months later and was told there had been two benign tumours in my uterus, and if they had been left they would have turned cancerous."

That was a year ago and Toni, who works at Lidl at Ponsharden and is a member of Falmouth Theatre Company, is now fully recovered and keen to help others less fortunate. She has set up an online charity page which can be found at justgiving.com by searching for Toni Jennings and is hoping people will pledge some money as she prepares to have her hair cut. She is also inviting people to join her at the hairdressers on the day when donations will be accepted and homemade cakes will be on sale.