Four mothers from Ellesmere Port have shaved their heads to raise money to send their terminally ill friend and her family on holiday.
Sarah Bell, Gill Dykes, Stephanie Humphreys and Joanna Pemberton, collectively known as the ‘Baldy Birds’, all took part in the shave-off charity event at Liverpool One at the weekend to help Lisa Williams, of Whitby.
Lisa, 33, has cancer of the lung, bone and liver. The ICT and business teacher at Connah’s Quay High School told JMU Journalism: “I can’t believe that anybody would voluntarily shave their hair off, and I’m just so overwhelmed by it all. I can’t believe how well they’ve done, and the help they’ve got, and it’s all for me!”
Lisa, who would like to go to DisneyWorld Florida with her partner Shaun Höll, and four-year-old son David, said that the main problem with going on holiday as a cancer patient, is the price of insurance.
Sarah told JMU Journalism: “We need somebody who works for an insurance firm who is able to just help us and point us in the right direction; or someone who wants to donate the money for us to get Lisa and her family away, because the insurance can actually be double the cost of the holiday.”
The four women originally decided to shave their hair off when Lisa jokingly posted on Facebook that she was tired of her hair falling out, and wanted to get a mohawk. This led to the another group of friends, the ‘Baldy Boys’, also waxing their chests to raise money for Lisa.
The hair shaved off will go towards the Little Princess Trust, who provide wigs and hairpieces for children who suffer hair loss due to cancer treatment.
Sarah told JMU Journalism: “We’re made up with the turn out. To be honest with you, we are just four mums, shaving our heads for our amazing mate, and we’re not professionals. We’ve never done anything like this before and we’ve arranged a fabulous day. There has been so many people who have helped us along the way. It’s been awesome. We never expected to get the support that we have done. People in the street have just turned up and donated.”
Lisa added: “My family have come; ex-colleagues have come as well as staff and pupils from my old school and people I haven’t seen for years. It’s just crazy.”
Many Liverpool-based companies helped out with the day, including Voodou, who shaved the girls’ heads for free, and Paul’s Hair World, who donated wigs to the five brave women.
The Baldy Birds and Boys have raised £12,000 so far. To donate, go to the Baldy Birds campaign site