MUM of two Jemma Wood is proud to be the face of this year's Bold is Beautiful project at Debenhams in Glasgow.

The 33-year-old from Scotstoun was treated to a makeover at the store's Benefit counter and is helping to raise awareness of the initiative, designed to raise vital funds and awareness for charities supporting women and girls, with partners Look Good Feel Better and Refuge in the UK.

"I had my eyebrows done and they look amazing," she says delightedly. "Then they did all my makeup and it was lovely, a really nice relaxing afternoon. The girls at Benefit were so lovely and nothing was too much trouble."

Jemma was diagnosed with thyroid cancer last March and after a nine-hour operation was left with an 18-inch scar around her neck and ongoing treatment that is a round of injections, blood tests and tablets to regulate her condition.

Hormone replacement therapy and steroids have meant she has gone up two dress sizes and her face and eyes are swollen. Jemma said she was feeling particularly low when on a chance visit to the Maggie's Centre at Glasgow's Gartnavel hospital she was told about a makeup class.

"I remember I burst into tears when I first walked into Maggie's and said,' I have a scar on my neck and I'm not feeling too good.'

"The woman said she had the perfect class for me, to come along and get your make-up done.

"I said I didn't think it was for me as I wasn't well and shouldn't be worrying about make up. She said to go along."

It was a group of women, a couple of helpers and volunteers. It was so liberating. Everyone took their make-up and their wigs off and we all had a good giggle.

"We learned techniques to put our makeup on and we each got a goody bag. When I left I had a whole different look on life.

"It sounds so silly but I felt this was the one part of my life I could control how I look and how I feel. I might look rubbish but I can put a bit of warpaint on just to make me feel a wee bit normal.

"There are some days you don't put a full face on, just a bit of moisturiser, mascara and a wee bit of blusher to give you a bit of colour. It just gave you a sense that there was no pre-judging. It gave me a lot more confidence."

She adds: "It was a really nice atmosphere, everyone was in the same situation. I've made a couple of friends and they will be lifelong friends because we've all gone through the same process ourselves."

The goody bag given to Jemma was filled with products specifically chosen to match her colouring and skin tone. She learned tips such as how to fill in her eyebrows and apply foundation.

"It's not all doom and gloom, it's two hours of laughter and even if that is just going to make you feel good for the rest of the day I'm all for it.

"You walk out there and have a sense of pride. That day when I came home my partner Gary said to me, 'You don't look as if you have a lot of makeup on but I can tell that you're happy.'

" I said, 'I am happy. I don't know what they've done to me.'"

Throughout May Benefit has pledged to donate 100% of profits from brow wax services to Look Good Feel Better, who help women and teenagers combat the visible side effects of cancer treatment, and Refuge which supports women and children escaping domestic violence. In addition, any customer who purchases a brow wax service during the month will receive a complimentary full size Gimme Brow (worth £18.50).