A WOKINGHAM woman shaved her head last month to raise money for a good cause – and now, she has more than quadrupled her goal.
Diane Marshall wanted to get people talking about hair loss, after she and her close friend were diagnosed with breast cancer.
She was also inspired to take the plunge after watching her cousin struggle with alopecia, and she had hoped to raise £500 for Cancer Research UK and Alopecia UK.
Now, Diane plans to donate more than £3,000.
“I was really nervous about shaving my head,” Diane says.
“We ended up making it a family event and my husband shaved my head live on Zoom.
“I knew my family was going to be there supporting me which made it a really enjoyable evening.”
Diane had planned to get her hair shaved at the hairdressers, but adapted her plans when the new lockdown restrictions came in.
Despite being nervous, she says shaving her head has made her a more confident person.
“But I do have to wear a hat now because my head gets really cold,” she adds.
Looking back on the event, Diane says she has been bowled over by the amount of support she received from family, friends, and even strangers.
“The number of people that have come back to me and said what I’ve done has made a difference to them is incredible,” she explains.
“Alopecia can also be one of the side effects of long covid, and one woman told me I made her feel better about losing her hair.
“It’s little things like that which make it amazing.”
She hopes that one day, children will grow up having never heard the word ‘cancer’ before.
But Diane’s fundraiser is not over yet, because Bracknell-based dance studio Berkshire Ballroom is also supporting it with a Charity FitSteps class.
The studio will host a Strictly Come Dancing-inspired fundraiser to get people dancing and donating, and all proceeds will be split equally between the two charities.
“I’m absolutely amazed that they are doing this for me,” Diane says. “It brought tears to my eyes.”
And Berkshire Ballroom says it’s happy to lend a hand.
Amy Houlton, partner at the dance studio, said: “Diane has been a close member of the Berkshire Ballroom community for many years and we are pleased to assist with her fundraising efforts for Cancer Research and Alopecia UK.
“After making the brave decision to shave off her hair for these charities, we wanted to show our support.
“We hope to reach a wider audience by hosting our event on Zoom to maximise donations.”
While Diane has already smashed her £500 fundraising target, she is still eagerly accepting donations.
To donate, visit: justgiving.com/team/DianeHeadShave
For more information on the Charity FitStep class, which is being held on Monday, February 15, visit: www.facebook.com/BerkshireBallroom
