Miranda gets head shaved to the bone for charity

A Campbeltown woman has had 31 inches – 78 cm – of hair cut off and her head shaved in support of two charities close to her heart.

 

Miranda Bone braved the shave on Tuesday to raise funds for Bowel Cancer UK, in memory of her dad Neil, who died in April 2009, aged just 49, after a battle with the illness.

 

While her primary aim is to raise money and awareness for the UK's leading bowel cancer charity, Miranda didn't want to let her luscious locks go to waste so she decided to donate it to The Little Princess Trust.

 

The charity provides real hair wigs, free of charge, to children and young people who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment and other conditions.

 

"attachment_769906" "aligncenter" "200"] Miranda Bone has donated her plaited hair to The Little Princess Trust.

 

Miranda, aged 29, said: 'My dad had symptoms but he didn't know they were cancer symptoms.

 

'When he found out, he had a lot of intensive operations but they didn't help. He was initially given five years to live but it kept decreasing until eventually he was given just a month.

 

'Nobody should have to go through cancer – it ruins everything. My dad has missed so much of our lives: me moving out, having my son, my brother graduating from university, the list goes on.'

 

"attachment_768793" "aligncenter" "300"] Hair stylist Kerry Dickson takes the shaver to Miranda Bone's head.

 

Miranda's dad's family is from Campbeltown, but she grew up 'here, there and everywhere' before settling in the town a few years ago.

 

'No amount of fundraising will ever bring my dad back,' she said, 'but we can potentially stop more people succumbing to cancer or even help them have a better quality of life.

 

'The most important thing is early intervention and knowing the signs.'

 

With bowel cancer running in her family, Miranda has done various fundraisers for Bowel Cancer UK over the years, including taking part in the month-long alcohol-free Dry January challenge last year but she said this was her biggest yet.

 

Kerry Dickson of Numero Dix Hair Salon did the honours, plaiting Miranda's hair, cutting off the plaits and then shaving her remaining hair, completely free of charge.

 

Miranda, a support worker at disability charity Affinity Trust, said she last had short hair – chin-length – when she was aged around 14 but she has never had it shaved until now.

 

"attachment_768796" "aligncenter" "300"] Miranda Bone's long locks being brushed by hair stylist Kerry Dickson before she braved the shave.

 

'I never went through that fun, experimental stage as a teen,' Miranda said. 'I've been toying with the idea of cutting my hair short for years so I thought this was the perfect opportunity.'

 

Having spent years growing her hair out, Miranda only had trims for the last few years, with Kerry estimating that her longest hair would have been about a decade old.

 

Knowing that she would find it cold after the cut, Miranda's thoughtful boyfriend Brendon Gillies loaned her one of his woolly hats.

 

And although she may be feeling the breeze more, Miranda is looking forward to spending less on shampoo and conditioner and not getting her long locks tangled or stuck in car doors!

 

'Thank you very much to everyone who has donated to my online fundraiser so far,' she said.

 

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/andibone.