A Middlesbrough pharmacy worker has raised almost £1,000 for cancer support by braving the shave in memory of some of her colleagues.
34-year-old Sam Smith, a trainee pharmacy technician at the University Hospital of North Tees, is today sporting a bald head in a bid to raise money for two cancer support services – the cancer information centre at the hospital where she works and Macmillan Cancer Support.
Her venture began this summer when she made a comment about shaving her head due to the heat. When her colleague jokingly offered her a fiver to do so, the idea to brave the shave for charity came to fruition.
Today, her pharmacy colleagues cheered her on as she went ‘full on Uncle Fester’ at the hospital.
Watch Sam brave the shave
Sam said: “It doesn’t feel like my head right now but it’s very liberating.
“I said I wouldn’t do it for anything less than £300 so to raise just shy of £1,000 is amazing. Thank you to everybody who has donated – you’ve made it all worth it.
“We’ve sadly lost some of our colleagues in the department to cancer over the last few years, including a friend this year. It’s had a big impact on the pharmacy team.
“Most people at some point will be or have been affected by cancer. If we can do something to help support people or make things easier even in a small way, then why not? It’s only hair.”
Sam has so far raised just under £1,000 which will be shared between the hospital’s cancer information centre and Macmillan Cancer Support.
The money raised for the hospital’s cancer information centre will be used to purchase headwear for cancer patients under the care of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust. The centre provides a confidential walk-in service for anyone with questions or concerns about cancer.
There’s still time to donate to Sam’s cause
To donate to Sam’s fundraiser for the cancer information centre at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, visit her JustGiving page.
And to donate to her fundraiser for Cancer Macmillan Support, visit the Macmillan website.
