WHEN Jan Champion was diagnosed with cancer, her whole world collapsed.

Ten weeks ago, the 61-year-old grandmother from Upper Beeding discovered a lump while she was in the bath and asked doctors for a biopsy.

Tests revealed she had grade three cancer in four of her 20 lymph nodes.

Now she is undergoing chemotherapy – and her whole family, who also live in upper Beeding, have showed their support by shaving their heads in solidarity.

Grandson Ben Colbourne, 11, whose long locks are now gone, said: “I’m doing it because I love my nanny.

Another grandson, 12-year-old Callum Harrison, said: “I wanted to shave my head because I didn’t want my nanny to feel left out.”

Jan, a mental health worker at Mill View Hospital in Hove, has had the cancerous lymph nodes surgically removed and is undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

She told The Argus: “If something went wrong and I was to die, I would die feeling loved.

“The day I was diagnosed I thought my whole world had collapsed – but this family has carried me through. It is just so lovely.”

Jan says the type of cancer she has has is usually not found until it is too late.

She said: “If I had not pushed for these tests I would be sitting here with the cancer and not know anything about it.

“I want to raise awareness as my two daughters have never had smear tests and people don’t understand how important they are.”

The family shave was organised by her stepson Stuart Colbourne, 37.

He said: “I originally did one seven years ago when my mum had breast cancer.

“We wanted to do the same thing but raise some money.”

Family and friends have been donating after the shave, which is raising money Macmillan Cancer Support and Butterflies, a breast care support group in Worthing

An online JustGiving page has been set up to collect the money and already stands at £1,280, beating the £500 target.

Click here to donate.