Arthur Terry student Sadie Fleetwood, whose grandfather was diagnosed with bowel cancer during lockdown, has shaved off her long hair for charity – and funds are continuing to grow.
Sadie, a 13-year old student at Arthur Terry School in Sutton Coldfield, has raised more than £1,500 for Bowel Cancer UK in support of her 80-year-old best friend and grandpa, Craig.
The teen, who took to the family’s ‘barber’ chair on Friday front of a live Facebook audience, did so with a big smile on her face. Not only has she raised an impressive amount for charity, but her long brown hair, which was cut neatly with scissors and then a shaver, will be sent to The Little Princess Trust, a charity that provides real hair wigs to children and young people with hair loss.
On her ‘Just Giving’ page, Sadie wrote: “My grandpa was recently diagnosed with bowel cancer. He had surgery and was in hospital for two weeks. I could not visit him because of Covid-19. My grandpa is my best friend. He is 80 years old, he is kind, funny and brave. The bowel cancer has changed his life, but it has not stopped him being happy. He is my inspiration. I love him very much.
“I chose this charity as it felt important to me because it had affected my grandpa and affected all my family emotionally.”
“I was really nervous, but excited to shave my hair to support Bowel Cancer UK and people like my grandpa. I really appreciate all the support that everyone has given me throughout this journey. I was overwhelmed by friends support and donations they gave.”
Commenting on her new hairstyle, Sadie said: “I really like my new hairstyle, but it’s a bit strange to walk around without my long hair. It feels like a constant reminder that I have done something really good. It’s a lot easier to wash it and dries immediately, which is great!”
“I was really nervous, but excited to shave my hair to support Bowel Cancer UK and people like my grandpa. I really appreciate all the support that everyone has given me throughout this journey. I was overwhelmed by friends support and donations they gave,”
– Sadie fleetwood
The family says that grandfather Craig is doing much better and adjusting to life following his operation – and that he is very proud of his granddaughter’s charity head shave.
Proud mother Rochelle, aged 46, said: “I am very proud of Sadie for being so brave and for showing such determination and maturity.
“Sadie wanted to shave her hair for Bowel Cancer UK after her experience with her grandpa being diagnosed during lockdown. Fortunately for him, it was at a time when people were not going to hospital for a fear of contracting Covid, but he had no choice as he knew something wasn’t right. At the time he walked into A&E he would never imagined he had cancer. Within 24 hours he had been admitted, had a scan, been told he had bowel cancer and had a long operation. It was all very fast and that impacted him and his family.
“Sadie is very close with her grandpa, my dad. They are a little team, he was always the one to play whatever games she choose when she was young, he would always join me when he could picking her up from school and they love watching movies together.
“Sadie decided to do this and was adamant about it. She has not wavered or has second thoughts for a moment in this last week as our friends and family have donated to Bowel Cancer UK. If she has experienced my nerves she put my mind to rest telling me that it will grow back and that she only has to remind herself of the money raised if she feels uncomfortable afterwards.
She added: “Many people reflect on the young people in our society, they are a different generation of technology and gaming, but they are also very aware of the world in a way I wasn’t at 13. They strive to be morally, socially, culturally better than my generation and I could not be more proud of Sadie.”
Dad Vince, aged 49, added: “Sadie is caring and kind and never ceases to amaze me.”
Sister Maya, aged 16, said: “It’s amazing what Sadie’s doing. She is showing how much she cares and wants to help other people in her own unique way. I think she’s very brave.”
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