Friend to share special bond

Melissa Howell (right) will shave her head in solidarity with her childhood friend Bronya Clare who will receive chemotherapy for stage three colon cancer. Photo / Supplied

When 37-year-old Bronya Clare loses her hair to chemotherapy, her close friend Melissa Howell will be right next to her with a matching number one buzz cut.

The Tauranga woman was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer in early January, after 10 years of poor health, she said.

For the past decade she had gone to more than five GPs in three different countries but believed doctors never suspected cancer.

"It was never recommended to me to get tested for colon cancer ... I now wish that I'd pushed harder to get tested ... I've been sick for a really long time," she said.

In January doctors found two tumours and a week later she was officially diagnosed.

The tumour had broken through the lining of her bowel but there was no evidence of it spreading further, she said.

On Monday she would start six weeks' treatment of both radiotherapy and chemotherapy, followed by surgery and a second round of chemotherapy.

It was a daunting few months ahead but she said it was the biggest comfort to know she would not be going through it alone, as she had to do with a lot of things as a single mother.

Her childhood friend Melissa would shave her head in solidarity.

Ms Clare said she was overwhelmed when Mrs Howell told her she wanted to shave her head for her.

"It's a huge relief to not have to go through it by myself ... I think I've been really lucky because I haven't felt that panic or isolation people feel when they're going to lose their hair because I know she'll be going through it with me."

Mrs Howell had organised for her hair to be shaved by another friend at Shine Hair Salon in May, and all funds raised would go straight to Ms Clare.

Ms Clare said it was hard to accept money from people but was grateful to have support with the "huge financial burden" that came with cancer, that people often did not think of.

Mrs Howell said as soon as she heard of her friend's diagnosis, she wanted to help.

"She thought I was crazy ... I said 'it's just hair, it'll grow back'. We'll be the sexy bald girls together."