Holly Willoughby has treated fans to a beautiful throwback picture taken at her best friend’s wedding eight years ago.
But behind the intimate and joyful image is a very poignant story.
Holly, 36, explained to fans that her best friend Emma is cutting her long locks for charity after Emma’s one-year-old niece Alice was diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer.
The This Morning presenter told followers she chose the simple yet stunning image as it showed her doing Emma’s hair on her wedding day.
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Nearly a decade later and Emma is preparing to cut 12 inches of hair and donate it to the Little Princess Trust, while raising money for the Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity.
Holly told fans: “In 2010 I did my best friend Emma’s hair for her wedding day… today she has decided to cut off 12 inches of that beautiful hair to help her sister’s baby girl Alice.
“Sisters and friends will always stand side by side and help where they can … love you Ems, one of this world’s special people!”
Holly went on to tell fans a bit more about little Alice’s story and how Emma is hoping to raise money.
She shared some info from Alice’s fundraising page, which has already reached £1,520.
The total her family aims to raise is £2,000.
Alice has been diagnosed with Bilateral Retinoblastoma, a rare type of eye cancer.
The little girl’s loved ones are raising money for Rainbow Trust by cutting their hair and donating it to the Little Princess Trust, which provides real hair wigs for children who have lost their own hair due to cancer treatments or other illnesses.
A statement on Alice’s fundraising page explains: “The knotting process at the top of the wig alone takes 4 inches in length, so we are aiming to donate at least 12 inches each, to provide a very brave little person somewhere with some hair and hopefully make their day a little brighter.
“Rainbow Trust provide bespoke support for families who have a child with a serious illness, by offering an invaluable range of services.
“Simple things like taking a train to the hospital and exposing the child to all the germs which comes with this, could potentially be life threatening for children with suppressed immunity.
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“Rainbow Trust can drive the family to the hospital and offer practical & emotional support during their time there (as well as at home), helping families through a stressful time and allowing parents to take a much appreciated short break every now and again.”
Holly is a mum of three herself to Harry, eight, Belle, six, and Chester, three, so no doubt little Alice’s plight has struck a chord with her.