WHO would not want to spend a week with TV presenter and model Lisa Snowdon while doing a poignant trek for breast cancer?

Natalie Moloney, of Colchester, is finding it hard to contain her excitement just two months away from a four-day climb up the Romanian Alps for Coppafeel, a charity raising breast cancer awareness in young women.

Under Team Lisa, Natalie will trek with other fundraisers being led by McFly's Tom Fletcher, including people who have lost loved ones and those living with it like Natalie's best friend Tracie Gledhill, who has advanced breast cancer.

Natalie said: "This is personal to me because everybody knows someone who has been affected by cancer.

"I lost my dad at 15 so cancer was never an alien concept to me but then I met Tracie.

"She was 34 when diagnosed, has four children and instead of letting it consume her life, she's decided to try to affect change and help people get early diagnosis because the earlier the diagnosis, the less invasive the treatment."

Gazette:

Advocate Lisa Snowdon. Picture: Coppafeel

Since getting involved with Coppafeel, the disparity between the age women are invited for breast screening, which is generally 50, versus the age at which some are diagnosed is all the more apparent.

At an awareness event the mum-of-two met a 19 and 20-year-old both with breast cancer, which makes Natalie believe the screening age should be lowered as it was for cervical cancer.

"People assume breast cancer only happens to older women but this has showed me otherwise," she said.

"Charities like Coppafeel are having to push the importance of knowing your own body which has literally saved lives.

"It makes the work they do paramount."

Gazette:

Tracie Gledhill inspired Natalie Moloney to take on a trek

Sponsorship for the climb is set at £2,200 but the beauty pageant founder is 75 per cent of the way with the help of friends and donations at fundraising events.

Tracie is not well enough to tackle the challenge with her, but her warrior spirit will be with Natalie every step of the way.

She said: "Physically, I'm not worried, but it's definitely going to be emotional, there's no two ways about it.

"It's going to be an absolutely transcendent experience and a life-changing moment for me and Tracie.

"Despite the fact I'll have to go to the toilet in the wild and Romania has the largest population of bears and Lynx cats, I'm actually really excited."

To donate, click here.

READ MORE: BODY POSITIVE MUM SHOOTS FOR BEAUTY PAGEANT CROWN