Briony is having her hair shaved off for charity
A Grantham woman is planning to shave off her lengthy luscious locks for charity next month.
Briony Sparrow has been growing her hair since childhood – and now it is a whopping 30 inches in length. But following her charity hair shave, she will have none whatsoever.
After being inspired by a friend who grew his hair to donate to the Little Princess Trust, a charity who use the hair to make wigs for children with cancer, Briony decided to follow suit.
She will be donating the hair itself to the Little Princess Trust and has designated two charities, which are close to her heart, to which to donate funds – Endometriosis UK and Mind. Briony is aiming to raise an ambitious £3,000 for her chosen charities.
From the age of 11, Briony began to suffer with crippling monthly pains, which were sometimes so severe that she could not get out of bed and needed time off school.
Despite numerous referrals to various different specialists and a couple of misdiagnoses along the way, the problem would persist and at times worsen until finally, after 16 years, at the age of 27 she received a diagnosis of Endometriosis.
Endometriosis is a disease which affects an estimated one in 10 women worldwide, around the same percentage as diabetes affects, and yet it is still largely unheard of. The national average time for a diagnosis is seven years, but for some unfortunate women it is much longer before they can understand what is happening to them.
Briony said: “Over the course of 16 years, I was often told that I was exaggerating about my pain. I was told it was 'all in my head' or 'perfectly normal for women'.
"Throughout my teenage years, I was told this by a host of medical professionals in whom I had put my trust and as you might be able to imagine, this had a serious impact on my personal development and mental health.
"Another aspect of endometriosis which has impacted on my mental health is the chronic pain associated with the condition. Suffering constant pain is incredibly wearing on your psyche, not knowing the reason causes untold anxiety and being told all the while there is nothing wrong at all is absolutely maddening.
"Keeping my mental and physical health in a good condition is still an ongoing process and it always will be.
"I am thankful that charities such as Mind and Endometriosis UK exist to support myself and the millions of people struggling every day.”
Briony's big hair shave event will take place at the Blue Pig, Vine Street, on Sunday, August 4, at around 6pm.
Donations can be made on the day or via Briony’s fundraising webpage: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/BrionySparrow
