Faye shaves her head in support of friend undergoing cancer treatment

A medical secretary at the Woodlands Centre at Hinchingbrooke Hospital has shaved her head to raise money for charity.

Faye Jarman, 37, decided to take action to support her friend who recently started a course of chemotherapy at the centre.

Faye’s friend, Charlene Martin, 32, underwent chemotherapy to treat bowel cancer last year, and has since received the news that she has four inoperable lesions on her liver. Charlene was lucky enough to keep her hair throughout her first round of chemotherapy, however this time around hair loss is more likely.

Faye hopes that 50 per cent of the funds raised during the event will be put towards funding a new refrigerated scalp cooling machine which will be used by patients receiving chemotherapy.

The scalp cooling machines work by pumping liquid coolant through a cap, reducing blood flow to the patient’s scalp during treatment, and in some forms of chemotherapy this can prevent the drugs from affecting the patient’s hair.

The remaining funds will be used to support Charlene and her family while she undergoes treatment. Charlene and her husband Neil have four children, the youngest of whom is just two-years-old.

Faye, a mum-of-three, said: “The Woodlands Centre is my local oncology and haematology centre at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, and has been my place of work for a few years now. The staff there, and the work they all do, is truly incredible and I want to give something back.

“I’d like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to every single person who has supported me. So far my fantastic supporters have helped me to raise £1,300 and I am still waiting on a few donations.”

Charlene shaved Faye’s head on August 31 in the Woodlands Centre. It’s not too late to donate, you can still support Faye by visiting her Go Fund Me page - www.gofundme.com/faye-shave-to-raise - and donating.

Alternatively you can take your donation to the Woodlands Centre where staff are happy to receive donations directly.