Thousands raised for Peterborough’s Thorpe Hall Hospice as woman braves shave in memory of mum

To mark her 21st birthday, Hannah Williams, from Folksworth near Peterborough braved the shave and had her 15-inch long hair snipped off.

She was inspired to do the birthday charity chop in honour of her late mum, Patricia Williams, who passed away in 2019.

Hairdresser Mandy Kelly carried out the cut on Saturday, July 10 at Studio 36 in Oundle.

At the time of writing, Hannah has raised more than £2,100 for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough, which cared for her mum in the final few weeks of her life.

Hannah also donated her long locks to The Little Princess Trust, so they could be turned into a wig for children and young people who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions.

Hannah said: “I wanted to shave my head for my 21st birthday. It’s a very out there thing to do.”

Hannah, who is in her third year studying Psychology at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, added. “I was inspired to fundraise for Sue Ryder in memory of my Mum. She was diagnosed in 2018 with triple negative breast cancer, which sadly progressed and spread.

“Mum spent two weeks at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice before she died. The team at the hospice were just amazing. The way they treated her was really lovely. The Sue Ryder Nurses and staff would always come in and check on her. Even if she didn’t respond, they would talk to her and say ‘Hi Pat, how are you doing today?’ They were very caring and very empathetic.

“They were there for us as a family too; making sure that we were as comfortable as possible. The bereavement and spiritual care team also supported us – they spoke to Mum as well as each of my family members individually. They tried their best to make you as comfortable as possible in the difficult circumstances.

“Since Mum died, we have tried to donate our unwanted items such as clothes and books to either Sue Ryder or Cancer Research UK. Sue Ryder is the charity that is closest to my heart, because of the care they gave Mum. The pandemic has significantly impacted centres such as Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice and they need donations – now more than ever.

“My fundraising target was £1,000 and we are over £2,000 now, which is brilliant. Thank you to my family and friends for their support, including my Dad, Pete Williams, his partner Steph Draper, and my brother Ashley Williams.”

Amy Hall, Community Fundraiser at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, said: “Thank you for your incredible support, Hannah and for braving the shave and celebrating your 21st birthday by raising vital funds for our charity. We are really grateful; your inspiring support makes a real difference and helps us continue to be there when it matters for other local families.”

You can support Hannah’s fundraising through JustGiving: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Hannah-Williams139

The national healthcare charity Sue Ryder, which runs Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough, launched an appeal last month asking people to help them fill families’ final days together with love. By supporting their ‘Room Full of Love’ campaign, you can help Sue Ryder Nurses and staff to continue to go above and beyond, helping to give families a better goodbye. For more information visit sueryder.org/rooms