THE BIG SHAVE

On the 26th of March 2023, Daisy Dennett, Con Bowes, and Eva Penney are shaving their heads to fundraise for Breast Cancer Research Kent, Tourette's Action and Macmillan Cancer Support. Please support us and donate any amount you can to help these charities very close to our hearts.

Daisy’s Story

1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetimes so it stands to reason that so many people will benefit from the services that Macmillan Cancer Support can provide. Personally, my connection to Macmillan has never been first-hand which I feel incredibly grateful for, but family members around me who I love have definitely found help from the wonderful work that they do. I don't feel, however, that that is my story to tell. But I'm doing this to raise money for them, as well as to support the two beautiful people I stand beside and feel the rain on my new shiny bald head.

Con’s Story

In the UK, around 55,00 women and 370 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. That’s over 150 cases every single day. Breast Cancer is the most prevalent of cancers in the UK, representing 15% of all new cancer cases. 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. These statistics alone are proof enough that raising awareness and funds for Breast Cancer is of the upmost importance. Breast Cancer Kent is a charity that aims to improve the lives of those diagnosed with breast cancer. They do this by funding projects, equipment and research to support the work of the NHS Medical Teams at the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Breast Care Units, Kent Oncology Centre and the University of Kent School of biosciences. The charity acts as a centre for fundraising, allocates funds to projects both big and small, and distributes information on breast health and breast cancer treatments.

To raise funds and awareness, on the 26th of March I will be shaving my head. Throughout my life, I have met many women who have suffered with breast cancer, some of those who have lost their battle, and others who have won. Growing up I have witnessed first-hand the deteriorating effects, both physically and mentally, that breast cancer can have on an individual. Hence my decision to shave my head, not only to get people talking about the disease, but to also raise money for Breast Cancer Kent. Your donations to this fundraising event would, for example, fund a specialist study day for a breast cancer nurse, or guarantee a safe ride home in a taxi for an elderly patient attending a late-night clinic. Or even fund tomosynthesis scanning equipment that aid the diagnosis of breast cancer. It is a brilliant charity, both local and important to me, that are carrying out life-changing work.

Eva’s Story

Tourette’s Syndrome (TS) is a very misunderstood condition and I used to be ashamed and scared to talk to people about it. I masked and suppressed my tics for about 4 years after developing them and I didn’t even know what was going on with me for about 2 years; I also had several experiences with doctors not understanding my condition or dismissing it as something else like anxiety or a speech impediment. This is definitely because of the misinformation spread about TS and the lack of representation for people like me with non-coprolalia (non-full-word/statement) tics. This misinformation is spread throughout the media with documentaries like Scarlett Moffat's “Britain’s Tourette’s Mystery”, presenting Tourette’s as a growing phenomenon and scary disease made worse by lockdown and TikTok.

By offering a free CPD-accredited eLearning course and sending information pamphlets into schools, Tourette’s action has a mission of educating people on the reality of living with Tourette’s. As someone who’s never been able to find much representation for my condition or felt very understood, reading the Tourette’s Action page made me feel very seen - they understand that although a lot of what we know about TS is what we have seen in the media TS presents very differently. They also support people through running events, and support groups and offering a free resource library on their website, making support and education accessible for everyone.