Self-confessed tomboy Kim Wilkie will swap her police uniform for catwalk glamour next weekend as she focuses on the bright side of “the C word”.
The 35-year-old was diagnosed with cervical cancer “out of the blue” in 2015.
Throughout her treatment – which included an intense five weeks of radiotherapy before chemotherapy and internal radiotherapy – she was determined to remain positive, after a nurse offered her some advice.
“I remember whenever I was feeling weepy, one of the nurses said ‘don’t let your head get down or it will get you’ and that has stuck with me,” she said. “It meant a lot to me.”
Miss Wilkie also found her sense of humour helped her through her illness, as well as her police colleagues.
“You can be miserable, or just get on with it,” she said.
“I don’t want it to be ‘the big C’. I want it to be ‘the little C.'”
Miss Wilkie, of Bridge of Don, went to the doctor after noticing some symptoms in June 2015.
“It was out of the blue,” she said. “People think you must miss your smear tests but I went regularly.
“It is one of those embarrassing cancers people don’t want to talk about.
“I listened to my body and was back and forth to the hospital. They said they were 99% sure it was cancer.”
As well as the gruelling treatment, which finished in September 2015, Miss Wilkie has had to deal with early menopause – and the news that she would not be able to have children.
“When you hear it it’s life changing news and you think ‘I’m not going to cope’, but you get through it and become a lot stronger.
“Trust your body. Don’t be shy if you’re embarrassed.”
It was during her treatment that Miss Wilkie heard about Courage on the Catwalk while in the clinic at the hospital.
She is one of the 24 women who will take part in the fashion show at the Beach Ballroom on May 6 and 7, which aims to raise vital funds for Friends of Anchor while also shining a positive light on cancer.
Nominated by a friend, Miss Wilkie initially thought “climbing a mountain or a marathon would be easier” than getting on the catwalk.
“I am confident in work but I hate getting my photo taken,” she said.
“Now I understand how hard modelling is. You watch programmes like America’s Next Top Model and don’t realise.
“I’m more of a tomboy. The atmosphere will be great but I am nervous.”
Miss Wilkie will be joined by the other ladies to show that “you are able to cope with more than you think you can”.