Ellen McCabe is to have her hair cut and dyed the luminous colour in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, and explained her 74 year-old brother and close friend are battling prostate and breast cancer.

Nerve damage in her arms and legs has prevented Ellen from taking part in any runs to raise the vital funds for charity, so she decided on joining Macmillan’s “Shave or Style” campaign.

The 58 year-old is aiming to raise almost £600 after smashing her initial target of £100 in just one day. Ellen said: “The amount of support I have had already has been incredible and people that I have never met before have been so generous and kind. “I had never stepped inside a Barrhead pub before in my life, but today I went into Rumours Bar thinking if I don’t go then I won’t get the sponsorship, and people really got behind what I was trying to do.” She also has the support of her neighbour, 11-year-old Hannah Anderson, who has help to fundraise.

Ellen decided to take up the “Style” part of the campaign after admitting she was too worried to go under the razor for a full head shave, but she also revealed this week that nerve damage to both her arms and legs, and medication makes physical fund raising difficult for her.

Despite this she was inspired by her best friend’s three year battle with breast cancer at just 38 yearsold, and her brother’s seven-year battle with prostate cancer. She said: “Everything that she does is incredible, she has been through a lot and at a relatively young age considering the disease. She has lost one of her breasts because of the cancer and she is still fighting it to this day, three years on.

“But she still does runs and stuff along with a lot of her friends.

“That was really inspiring to me and my brother has also beaten prostate cancer three times and it has returned.” Ellen takes medication to help her nerve condition which causes her to “move like a zombie”.

But she says that being bale to give something back despite her innability to take part in runs or physical challenges is making a world of difference.

She said: “It makes me feel really good and I will be getting my hair dyed luminous pink because it is the colour of many cancer charities.” Anyone who would want to sponsor Ellen is asked to email her via ellenmccabe1@aol.com.