A LOVING mother of three from Basingstoke will be walking 100 kilometres to raise money for charity after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Karla Cornwall, who runs Karla Cornwall Beauty Specialist and has three young children, discovered a lump in her left breast in January last year.

Despite being in the midst of the Covid pandemic, the beauty owner was able to see her doctor and just two weeks later her "worst nightmare" was confirmed.

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Karla said: “I'm a wife and a mum to three amazing children, Molly 16, Lilly nearly 14 and Louis 6 and run my own beauty business.

“On 7th January 2021 my left boob was itchy and I found a lump. I rang the doctors the following morning. I was seen that day and referred to the breast clinic at Basingstoke hospital. From the very beginning, the support I’ve been receiving from the breast clinic team at the hospital has been nothing but amazing.”

Since then, she has undergone surgery and radiotherapy, which she is still battling with.

She added: “It all happened so fast and actually I still find it hard at times to process. But I'm here and I'm alive. I’m surrounded by lots of support and love which has helped when I needed it most.”

Karla has now been writing a blog to raise awareness and will be taking part in the five-day trek across Wales to fundraise for CoppaFeel charity.

Set up by twin sisters, one of which got breast cancer at the age of 23, the charity focuses on improving breast cancer awareness amongst young people.

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Karla is urging women to look for the early signs.

She added: “On the first day of each month, I always put a message on Facebook reminding my friends to do just that. Having two teenage girls, this is close to my heart and I want to educate them and others on how important it is to recognise any changes and act fast.

"I want to show my children and others that we need to live life to the full and go for things even if out of our comfort zone.

Despite everything Karla said she is “grateful to be here” and is “embracing” the new her.

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