Dornoch hairdresser's head shave raises funds for three Highland charities
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A DORNOCH woman has shaved her head to raise more than £3,000 for three charities close to her heart.
Highland Hospice, Maggie’s Highland and MacMillan Cancer Support are all set to benefit from fundraising from Joan Mackay, a hairdresser and support worker, who was first diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2008.
She had chemotherapy, radiotherapy and brachytherapy and in 2013 was given the all clear after five years.
Then in December 2020, she was given the news that she had a soft tissue sarcoma on her sacrum which was too risky to remove by surgery, and so she had to return to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Mrs Mackay explains, “I was very lucky the first time around in that I did not lose any of my hair as a result of the treatment I received. However, this time, having completed my radiotherapy and had five rounds of chemotherapy, I was told that my hair would be lost.
“As a hairdresser, this news was really hard for me to take. Nevertheless, I told myself that it’s only a side effect – and so I decided to take charge, taking the decision to cut off my hair myself!”
“Many of my friends and family made donations and that helped to give me get the courage to go ahead and shave off my hair. It also gave me the opportunity to help these three charities that have helped me and so many other people I know.
"Having set an original target to try to raise £400 by shaving my hair off, within a day I had to revise this to £1,500! In the end we actually raised £3,246 which I am splitting three ways. I cannot thank everyone enough who supported me and my chosen charities with their caring words of support and their contributions. I really appreciate that and it’s been so kind of them to donate for me, its so nice of them.
“Maggie’s Highlands and the MacMillan nurses have helped me hugely through all of this – and Highland Hospice did so much for my dad, who died of lung cancer back in 2007.
"My mother also died of lung cancer when she was only 42 years of age and I was just 14.
"My brother too had testicular cancer in the 1990’s but he has recovered well and leads a full and normal life as a father and grandfather.”
On Tuesday May 4 Mrs Mackay handed a cheque for £1,040 each to representatives from her chosen charities.
Highland Hospice fundraiser Emma Nicol said: "We are so very grateful to Joan for choosing to support the Hospice through her head shave. The amount she has raised collectively for ourselves, Maggie’s Highlands and MacMillan Cancer Support is just incredible – and it’s lovely to see the support she has been given from her friends and family to reach this fantastic total.
"Thanks so much to Joan and all her supporters, and we wish her all the best with her ongoing treatment."
To sponsor Mrs Mackay's fundraising, please visit https://uk.gofundme.com/f/joan-mackay-brave-the-shave
