A YOUNG mum treated for cancer during the pandemic was chosen to officially open Glasgow's newest charity shop.

Lori Delaney was guest of honour at the launch of Cancer Research UK’s latest store on Byres Road.

The 36-year-old was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly before the pandemic hit - and is now in remission from the disease.

She joined scientist Dr Seth Coffelt as VIP to cut the ribbon at the ceremony.

With around 32,400 people diagnosed with cancer every year in Scotland, the charity is determined to continue its mission of funding life-saving research.

Lori, 36, said: “I’ll play my part and help every way I can to support people going through cancer this Christmas.

“Life can change in a heartbeat. I remember so well what started as an ordinary day for me dropping my children at school changed in an instant when I was told I had cancer.

"I think it’s important to raise awareness about early intervention.

"I was actually at a GP appointment for something completely different that day and only happened to mention that I’d found what I thought might be a lump and asked the doctor to have a look.

"If I’d been in the same situation six months later during lockdown things might have been very different.”

Lori, who has started a PHD at Glasgow University, is now in remission following her diagnosis on November 6, 2019.

But she knows exactly how vital new developments and breakthroughs are in helping people survive cancer.

Support from her family, including husband Scott and children Harry, seven, and Ella, six, helped Lori through treatment.

She had surgery to have the lump removed and four sessions of chemotherapy and radiotherapy at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.

Lori had originally been scheduled for six sessions of chemotherapy but when the pandemic hit in early 2020 doctors suggested reducing the number of chemotherapy treatments and compressing radiotherapy in to five days.

Lori said: “I knew the medical team were doing an amazing job but there was so much uncertainty.

“Chemotherapy was tough then when the country went into lockdown my mum could no longer visit to help out so I was faced with home schooling my two young children on top of everything else.

"Ultimately, it was my decision on whether to have four sessions or six sessions of chemotherapy.

"That was a big decision to have to make. It felt like so many things that had been put in place to support me pre-pandemic were taken away.

“In June 2020, I remember ringing the bell at the hospital to mark the end of treatment.

"The staff were great but the pandemic meant my friends and family couldn’t be there.

"There was no one there with me to hug. I don’t usually cry but there were tears in my eyes that day.”

Lori was joined at the new Byres Road shop launch by Dr Seth Coffelt, a scientist at the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute in Glasgow.

Dr Coffelt and his team are working to understand more about cancer including how it spreads around the body.

Stock on sale on launch day included goods worth a total of £5000 donated by Slater Menswear Glasgow.

Customers are a key part of helping to get the charity’s life-saving work back on track, so strict covid safety measures are being followed.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Lori and hope her inspiring story encourages people to support the charity so we can continue to fund the very best scientists in Scotland and across the UK.

“Covid-19 has slowed us down, but we will never stop."

The Glasgow shop will be open Monday to Saturday, 9.30am until 6pm, and on Sundays noon to 5pm.

Byres Road shop manager Sylvie Walker said more volunteers are needed at the store and donations of good-quality clothes, shoes, bags, books and homeware are welcome.