A young Beckenham woman, who was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma, has raised £10,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Jess Mullins, 20, was diagnosed with cancer in January 2018 – after going to hospital with stomach complaints.

Her dad, Steve Mullins, told News Shopper: “It was a body blow. We never envisaged we would be leaving the hospital having been told she has cancer.”

The day after being diagnosed - the night manager of Toys R Us in The Glades learned that the company was going into administration - meaning she would lose her job.

"It was such a stressful time," Steve said. "But from being diagnosed and then the next day losing her job, her amazing response shows her strength."

Steve said his daughter immediately wanted to raise money for others within hours of being diagnosed.

He said: “She is always looking to help other people, she is like that in everything she does. She has been absolutely amazing.

“The way Jess looks at it is that five years ago and ten years ago, people collected money for cancer research and that is why she has had such good treatment.

“So she raised money for future people who are diagnosed, and hopefully one day all you will have to do is take a tablet and it will be gone.”

Steve laughed when he said the initial fundraising target was £100.

“We just kept pushing it and it didn’t seem to stop. Within four weeks we reached our new goal of £10,000.

“Everybody was stunned, absolutely stunned. My colleagues at The Acorn Group have been incredibly supportive.”

Jess visited hospital for a halfway scan on Wednesday (April 25) and received “the best result possible”.

Her dad said: “They will continue treatment until the end, but basically instead of using the word cancer, we are now using the word cure.

“I am very proud of her.”

Jess had her hair cut into a short bob in anticipation for chemotherapy, which she donated to the Little Princess Trust – a charity which make wigs for children who lose their hair as a result of treatment.

Hodgkin Lymphoma is a form of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system - a network of vessels and glands which are spread throughout the body.

Here is Jess's JustGiving page - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jess-mullins3