Mum’s cancer diagnosis spurs Angmering boy to shave hair

Scott Bowden, 12, from Cumberland Road in Angmering, chose to cut his hair after his mum, Julia, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Julia was diagnosed with the illness at its earliest stage and, after being given a lumpectomy last month, doctors expect her to make a full recovery.

She said: “It was such a shock when I had the diagnosis. My world fell apart.

“When I came back from the doctors, me and my mum sat the children down and told them I had a lump and it was breast cancer. Scott was shocked, but then he said ‘it’s stage one and we will get through it’.”

It was not long after the diagnosis that Scott decided he wanted to raise money for a cancer charity.

It was a friend who had suggested the idea that prompted Scott to shave his hair to raise funds for Cancer Research.

Julia said: “It was not long after I found out that Scott said he wanted to raise money for charity. He had quite long hair and he loved it and was always fixing it in the morning, so when he had his hair shaved it was a bit of a shock for him.”

Last week, the Arundel Church of England School student presented the £400.38 he had raised from friends, family and teachers to Cancer Research.

Speaking about why he chose to cut his hair, Scott said he felt he wanted to send a positive message about image on behalf of those with cancer.

He said: “I felt I had to do it because I wanted to put the point across there’s other people out there and you are not the only one with short hair. The day after I did it I came in wearing a hat and we had assembly and we were waiting outside the hall. There was a massive crowd around me telling me to take my hat off, so I took it off and I got a massive cheer.”

Julia will now take a course of radiotherapy for three weeks and pills for five years.

She credits the support of Cancer United, a support group based in Angmering, for helping her deal with her illness.

“They’ve been brilliant,” she added.

Cancer United can be contacted on 07957 829505, or by visiting www.cancerunited.org.uk