Head shave for Cissy

March 02, 2014 • 6 Comments

I don't normally do long blog posts but this one you'll need a cuppa, and maybe a few tissues. I really implore you to read it all the way through, as these aren't just my words but also from the girls who took part in this incredible event.

This all started back in January when I received a lovely message from Hannah saying how fond she was of my work. I was so flattered, and very intrigued when she later replied saying she had a project in mind, but was just trying to sort a few things out first. While that was bubbling away, she sent me a link to her Facebook Page which was when I realised this was going to be something a lot deeper and more special than I had originally thought. Reading through Hannah's page I learned that this was no ordinary girl, this was an incredible young woman who had been through so much already in her life. Hannah lives with congenital heart disease and has set up her page to support others. This young girl has had numerous treatments, including open heart surgery. Just the thought of that terrifies me, yet she has been through it all, and has come out with a beaming smile the other side. Incredibly big hearted, Hannah asked me if I would come along and take photos of the afternoon with her and her two close friends Cissy and Katie, both who she met through having this heart condition as they share it too. But it goes further than that. Cissy, who is only 14, had a surgery go wrong, and as a result had to have a heart transplant, kidney transplant and leg surgery as she couldn't walk. As if this girl hadn't been through enough, she then developed brain tumours. My heart just ached hearing this story. As she is undergoing radiotherapy to get better, the girls got together and decided to show their love and support for Cissy by shaving their heads, and donating their hair to The Little Princess Trust who provide real-hair wigs to boys and girls across the UK and Ireland that have sadly lost their own hair through cancer treatment. When Hannah told me her plans, which came together in a matter of weeks, I immediately wanted to meet these courageous girls. They had already touched my heart and I hadn't even met them. Hannah spoke with such passion and kindness in all her messages to me, I knew she was a special person and I wanted her to be in my life. This is how my day unfolded....

When I arrived at the house, I was instantly greeted by huge beaming smiles and a lovely big hug from Hannah. There was a nervousness in the air though of what was going to happen, I could tell the girls were both excited but also anxious, who wouldn't be?! They joked and giggled while they had their make up done and chose hats for each other to wear after the head shave. It was all a bustle of activity in the house, and the time just flew before we were out the door on our way to the hairdressers.

When we arrived there was a big gathering of friends nervously waiting, and we all squashed ourselves inside to watch the girls do their thing. Everyone was jittery, but when Hannah went first, wow the cheers that erupted were immeasurable. Such joy and hope from everyone was apparent, it was something to celebrate. Such a massive gesture to make, everyone there was SO proud to know these girls. Katie went next, and again huge applause at the first braid cut off! It was really atmospheric, the air was just electric and so intense. Finally Cissy was the last but certainly not least to go. Taking the scissors into her own hands, she cut off the first braid. It was just mental how everyone reacted, everyone was hugging, hi-fiving; I had been worried there would be floods of tears but it was so the opposite. Everyone was just beaming with pride and love. Cissy's sister Melissa cut another braid, and her Dad the final one.

About two hours later after lots of hugs and champagne to celebrate, we pootled back to the house to do a final session for the evening. The girls were tired after such an eventful day, and were very much looking forward to a girlie night in with movies and takeaway pizza.

After the head shave, I emailed Hannah to get a bit more of the background story and fill in some of the gaps for my blog, and she then sent me the following message. Rather than re-write it, I thought it best to leave it in her own words as she has written it so poignantly and it's just so 'her' the way it is written...

''Cissy and I met around 6 years ago now, Jo (Cissy's mum) runs a charity called ECHO, Evelina Childrens Heart Organisation (where I was treated) and my mum got involved in that and that's how I met Cissy. It just kind of happened from there, we became closer and closer and when she was very ill I would often go and visit her (sometimes be the only one of her friends to do so) I would bake her cakes etc... I wanted to make sure that she still had girlie time and was able to pamper herself. We also both attend a group at the hospital called Evelina Pride, where there's a selection of children and young adults who suffer long term illnesses.

Katie and Cissy met through the British Heart Foundation, a charity very close to us all.

It's funny how Katie and I met - I had a wish granted by the children's charity Rays of Sunshine , they grant wishes for seriously and terminally ill children across the UK. I then started to fundraise for them each year, they're the charity closest to my heart, I have their logo tattooed on my foot :) ... Anyways, I get on with all the staff there and at their last teenage event the CEO asked me go get up and sing, so embarrassing as Pixie Lott and other celebs were there but very fun! So, I sang and then just carried on with the day and went home.... A week later ... I get a message on my Hannah's Heart Beat page and it was from Katie! She said that she had seen me sing and thought my page was an inspiration, she was due surgery at that time and I was just there for her to talk to etc... I said that I would visit her in hospital but when the time came I finished work too late, instead arranged to go ice skating with her just before Christmas and that's how we became friends - love telling people that story, and we get on so well so it's even better!

Katie and I were together (on our way to Nandos) when we saw Cissy's tweet about having to shave her hair off due to treatment and believe me when I say that doing it with her was the first thing that popped into my head. Katie and I talked about it the whole night- going back and forth about it, it just seemed like the right thing to do and so on the 1st Feb 2014 three weeks before the shave, we had made our decision to do it with her.

I just couldn't let her do it alone to be honest, I had thought about shaving my hair for a while after losing my 5 year old best friend to Cancer in September and then my nan right before Christmas, it was always 'all talk' and 'no do' - so this was the perfect time to do it and to support a girl, who's become so close to my heart, she feels like my family. I couldn't think of anything better.

I always said this, there is something so precious about friendship found in hospitals. In our case, all three of us already had so much in common, with our illness and we've all been treated at the same hospital, in fact Katie and I even have the same surgeon. There's just a better understanding, we've seen each other at our worst and we've seen each other at our best and we know that that's ok. - I love meeting people in hospital and I know that these two girls will be my friends for life.

It's hard and sad at times of course! You never know what could happen and I have lost various friends that I know, but it only makes us stronger people and my belief is that no matter how, or what age you die, you've still lived, even if it's just a little and there is room to celebrate because that person was here! Of course, I cry and I don't understand it and I miss them, but deep down I know they've still lived and that they're better off now.

Hospital friendship is something I can never fully describe to someone.

We've all been treated at the Evelina which is the first hospital we are fundraising for and in all honesty, if it wasn't for them, none of us three would be here today and that's what makes it so special and so personal. The three of us have had multiple surgeries there.

It's hard sometimes to comprehend why some of us recover quicker than others but more recently I've begun to understand, it's because we have to be there for the others, I personally want to try and make a change and improve the experience for other teens... I've written my own show and got my page and I wouldn't be able to do that if i was as sick as I was before. I'm still on medication, always will be, and I still have my moments but I'm stable.

We did it to be there for Cissy, to remind her that she is never alone, to show how much we admire and love her and that 'true friendship knows no bounds' - I wanted to make it an event, not something painful and can I just add that this event has brought us closer than ever and is a moment I will never forget. ''

Reading this from Hannah touched so many chords with me. I have recently lost someone very close to me, and have been extremely bitter and unable to express how I feel. Hannah has been in touch with me through this time, writing me a lovely card, and when she sent me this story I just thought she had just said it all so perfectly. I so admire her, Katie, and Cissy for what they have done. It really makes you think we can make a difference in this world, whether we are in it for a long while or just a brief moment. I love Hannah's spirit and go-to attitude, she seems unstoppable. Her perspective of life is refreshing and inspirational, and has made me view things in a different light.

It was hard for me choosing just a few images to sum up the day, there was so much love and friendship captured I just want to share them all, but here are a few which summarise it as best I can.

I have never met someone who puts everyone before herself, and just so incredibly amazing on all levels. I am so happy I met these three girls, they will forever be in my hearts, such an incredible journey to be a part of which I can never thank them enough for. The bonds of friendship I have seen are just uplifting and unbreakable. What they have been through, and what Cissy is currently going through is incomprehensible, yet they are far from broken spirits, they are strong and have come back fighting with everything they have and more. I hope they all have bright futures ahead of them, they truly deserve all the happiness in the world.

Thank you so much for reading this, I hope it has made an impact on your heart.

Please check out all these links from the girls at the bottom of the page, including blogs from Cissy and Hannah. I really hope you will visit their donation page, these girls deserve medals for what they have been through and what they have done for others. I know they would be forever grateful of any contribution made.

♥︎

Please check out the following pages which link to the girls' blogs, fundraising pages, YouTube channels and the organisations xx

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Cissy's blog

Hanna's Facebook Page

Fundraising Page

Evelina Childrens Heart Organisation

Hannah's blog ⟶ Hannah is off in Spain helping out at Children's Hospitals

And Cissy has a YouTube channel so please watch it and share it so she can raise LOTS and LOTS of money for such deserving charities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EilGZHwa1Fs

Rays of Sunshine

Keywords: ECHO, Evelina Childrens Heart Organisation, brave, british heart organisation, friendship, head shave, head shave for charity, justgiving, love, rays of sunshine, spirit

Comments

SEIT Agency in NYC(non-registered)

This story is very long and i read whole story, it is awesome liked so much.

braun series 7 7865cc(non-registered)

Long battery life, smooth powerful motor, sharp blades, braun series 7 7865cc solid build, fully immersible in water, and lots of attachments. This is a high quality shaver worth the price paid. Provides quality trimming of beard as well as hair.

Jo Adamou(non-registered)

Thank YOU so much Laura for being so amazing on the day of the Great Shave. You were a joy to have around and now I've seen the absolutely incredible images you captured, I am completely speechless! The photos sum up so well the atmosphere and excitement. We have lots of publications waiting for copies, so I'll message you privately to arrange to get hold of them.

Very best wishes,

JO - Cissy's Mum x

Lyndsey(non-registered)

In tears, beautiful, the evelina are my heroes too. Such strong inspirational and amazing girls xx

Ali Carter(non-registered)

I have been so touched by what these girls have done for each other. Your photos are beautiful, just like them. The photo of all 3 of them holding hands started me off! So gorgeous. A friendship to treasure

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