By Chris Cornford
Not many people would celebrate their 54th birthday with a head shave. But then Kim Blackburn is not many people.
Kim has worked for the Wessex Cancer Trust (WCT) for more than 10 years and decided to sport the GI Jane look to help raise funds for the charity. WCT offers support and practical help to any one of the 23,000 people each year who get a cancer diagnosis in the region, regardless of age, gender or type of cancer. One service that many Islanders have come to appreciate is the Daisy Bus, which takes patients from the ferry terminals to mainland hospitals, providing a friendly face in the driver, and company from people facing similar anxieties and concerns about their illness. WCT also provide drop-in centres, including in Lugley Street in Newport, where cancer patients can find counselling, complementary therapies and support groups to help them through their treatment journey.
So far Kim’s head-shave, carried out by the ‘lovely’ Sian Bach Jones, has raised over £3,000, and Kim is delighted that her ‘moment of madness’ has helped to bring in much-needed funds – particularly after the last year when many fund-raising activities have not been able to take place. She said: “A huge thank you to all who’ve made donations. Your generosity has been amazing and thanks also to my family, friends and colleagues.
“It really is chilly not having hair. I’ve had to pop my bobble hat in my bag on several occasions.”
You can find Kim’s fundraising page at justgiving.com/fundraising/kim-blackburn204.
Press Release