A WOMAN battling her third cancerous bowel tumour in the last four years is being supported by a fundraising effort which has seen her male friends growing beards – the bigger and bushier the better.

The group of around 20 men taking part in the Beating Bowel Cancer Decembeard call themselves Bee’s Boys for Bianca Grainger, and some have coloured or added flowers to their beards for the month.

The 37-year-old, from Brompton, near Northallerton, was recently diagnosed with her third tumour, which doctors attempted to operate on in November, but found it was too close to a major artery to safely remove.

She was initially diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2012 aged just 32. Since then she has undergone chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery to remove and treat the original tumour.

She then received a new diagnosis in November 2015 and had chemotherapy again to shrink the tumour – but during her treatments for the second tumour, doctors found the third tumour.

“I will start chemotherapy in January. I would have started it earlier but I’m still recovering from the surgery – even though they didn’t remove the tumour, they still opened me up so I need to fully recover.

“The tumour was very low in my pelvic area and was pressing on my bladder – hopefully chemotherapy will keep it at bay.”

Her husband Will decided to take part in Beating Bowel Cancer's Decembeard campaign, similar to Movember which sees men grow a moustache for men’s cancers, but with full beards.

She said: “While I was in hospital my friend told me there were now about 20 of my friends’ boyfriends and friends taking part in the campaign and calling themselves Bee’s Boys.

“I was overwhelmed and cried all morning – I couldn’t believe the support, it was fantastic.

“We want to raise awareness for the campaign as it is not that well known yet, and to get people talking about bowel cancer.

“I can’t believe how many people tell me they don’t do the simple test for bowel cancer, and they don‘t even like to talk about it. But it is so simple and doesn’t involve getting your hands in your poo! It is just a quick swab and you send it away. Catching it early can save lives.”

Mrs Grainger, who was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2012, said although the return of the tumour is a major blow and set-back to her life, she won’t let it define her.

She said: “I take cannabis oil, which does help me mentally if nothing else. I try to stay positive because all I can do is keep fighting it and that’s what I intend to do.”

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Bees-boys-do-decembeard.