A young Uckfield woman has set up a blog to share the secrets of how she keeps herself looking beautiful and glamorous – while battling cancer.

Emily Parker, 21, lost her hair and was a shell of her former self as she fought leukaemia.

Despite undergoing months of chemotherapy she was determined to write about her experiences and inspire other cancer sufferers to “bring normality back” by looking good.

Emily illustrated the site with photographs of her own hair falling out and her various experiments with make-up and wigs to hide the ravages of the disease.

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The fine art student soon had about 4,500 followers, with other cancer sufferers logging on to read her hair and make-up tips.

Topics addressed on site include Best Hair-Growth Treatment, Top 10 Hospital Essentials and Goodbye Hair.

Emily, from Uckfield, decided to set up her blog after she began scouring the internet to look for tips for leukaemia sufferers.

She said: “After I found out about the leukaemia I tried to look it up but couldn’t really find anything.

“There were plenty of leaflets offering advice but they were too heavy and I found there wasn’t anything for people my age as leukaemia is more common in people aged 40 plus.

“I decided to set up my blog as I found different brands worked |better when going through |chemo.

“I found some shampoos and hair growth treatment worked far better than others and I wanted to share that.

“I also found there were some particularly good moisturisers to use during chemo as my skin went really dry so I was having to moisturise all the time.

“I’ve always worn make-up, even if it was just to pop to the shops, so soon as I had the strength I put on make-up.

“It made me feel so much better about myself – bringing normality back into my life.”

Emily had just completed her second year at Aberystwyth |University in Wales when she was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukaemia last June.

She spent the next five months in and out of hospital undergoing four chemotherapy sessions to counter the killer disease.

Emily, who is now in remission, hopes to return to university to take her third year.

She has also taken a make-up |course in Brighton and is considering a career in theatrical make-up.