A MUM who was diagnosed with a similar aggressive brain tumour as which killed a celebrity health expert has urged people to get involved in a sweaty selfie fundraising challenge.

Nicki Waterman, who was a fitness guru for The Sun newspaper, died two weeks ago after losing her battle with her brain tumour aged 52.

Now Gemma Edgar, from Colchester, who is battling a similar condition has endorsed the social media challenge which involves taking a picture of yourself after a workout and posting it online with the hashtag #sweatyselfie.

Participants are then asked to make a donation to Brain Tumour Research with Mrs Waterman’s family hoping to raise £1million in fundraising from the campaign, and then nominate their pals to do the same.

Gemma, 31, was a paediatric nurse in 2014 at Colchester General Hospital when she was diagnosed with the same type of brain tumour as Mrs Waterman – a glioblastoma multiforme.

Mum to four-year-old Dylan and Noah, two, Gemma said: ““I was immersed in life as a mum when my GP suspected my intense head pain was a migraine.

“It kept getting worse so I went to A&E, where a scan detected a mass in my right frontal lobe.

“The tumour was removed and found to be cancerous. Though the tumour has gone, cancer cells are likely to remain in my brain. It is now a case of waiting.

“I still have treatment options remaining but I don’t know how successful they will be – which is why you need to upload your sweaty selfie in memory of Nicki Waterman and donate to Brain Tumour Research.”

“It’s shocking that such a minimal amount is allocated to research into brain tumours. Treatments have hardly progressed so please take a selfie in memory of Nicki, or for someone you know who has been lost to a brain tumour or is still fighting.”

Celebrities including Denise Van Outen, Emma Bunton and Tamzin Outhwaite have already yaken up the challenge and appeals have been made on Lorraine Kelly’s ITV morning show.

To get involved text donate SNAP53 £3 to 70070 which will donate £3.