Wirral worker shaves hair off for a teenage cancer charity

Sep 19 2012 by Linda Foo Guest, Heswall News

A WIRRAL worker has shaved off her locks to raise cash for a teenage cancer charity.

Mum-of-two Ann Woodward, 50, said goodbye to her tresses but hello to more than £1,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Her own family has been touched by the devastating disease.

She was 17 when she lost her mum Bridget to cancer. Her step mum Anne also suffered from the disease.

Ann, who is married to Alan, 50, and mum to 13-year-old twins, Aisling and Pierce, added: “Alan had cancer some years ago and he lost his hair during his treatment. It was in my mind to do something then, but the children were only two and I just wasn’t in the right place at that time.

“He’s been given the all clear now and I had forgotten about it for a while.

“Unfortunately my auntie has now been diagnosed with breast cancer and is going through chemo now, so it has come back into my life again.”

Ann works as an area administrator at Argos in The Grange and Pyramids Shopping Centre, Birkenhead.

Teenage Cancer Trust is the nominated cause for Argos nationally. The Grange and Pyramids store has raised more than £3,300 over the last year for the charity.

Ann’s hairdresser, Terri Ward, did the honours and shaved her locks off in front of a crowd of family and friends.

She added: “I didn’t think I was nervous but afterwards Terri told me I was shaking, I didn’t even realise. I think I was probably quite excited too.

“I felt quite comfortable with it though, and the reason for that is because I had so much support around me.

“One of the girls at work told me I had a nice shaped head which she obviously hadn’t noticed before – a comment which really made me laugh.

“I raised £157 on the day itself – people were so generous. I said I wouldn’t do it unless I raised more than £1,000 and we are well over that now.

“People call me brave but I don’t feel that way at all. When I think about bravery, I think about soldiers out in the war zones or our Olympic heroes who have trained for years to reach their goal, or those who are battling cancer right at this moment. They are the brave ones, not me.

“I’m getting quite used to my new style now but I think I might let it grow back a bit.”

To sponsor Ann, go to www.justgiving.com/Ann-Woodward