Littlehampton family brave the shave in memory of late wife and mother

A family from Wick have decided to shave their heads in honour of their late wife and mother who lost her life to breast cancer.
By Lauren Oakley
Published 24th Feb 2022, 10:00 BST
Updated 24th Feb 2022, 10:16 BST
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In January, Glenn, 54, shaved his head to raise vital funds for St Barnabas House, the hospice that cared for his wife, Diane, when she died in December 2021.

Their two children, Charlotte, 33, and Edward, 30, also took part in the sponsored head shave in memory of their mum.

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Glenn said: “Diane and I were married in 1987. We have two beautiful children and five (soon to be six) grandchildren,

The family after braving the shaveThe family after braving the shave
The family after braving the shave

“We were married nearly 35 years, but in 2019 Diane was diagnosed with breast cancer.”

Diane’s health began to deteriorate towards the end of 2021, and her family received the news that her cancer was terminal.

Glen said: “We always knew that there was a possibility it might come to this but when the time came, we found ourselves dreading what the next months or weeks would be like.

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“I remember talking to the oncologist when Diane was in hospital, and he asked us what was important to us now.

Glenn and Diane posing for a picture togetherGlenn and Diane posing for a picture together
Glenn and Diane posing for a picture together

“We wanted Christmas with all the family as it was probably the last time we would all share together. He told us that we should plan for an early Christmas. So, we did, and our Christmas was arranged for 10, 11 and 12 December.

“Diane came home from hospital in early December as she didn’t want to be in hospital any longer and felt more comfortable at home with her family around her.

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“Her health quickly deteriorated and the nurses from St Barnabas supported us at home with daily visits, but it soon became obvious that this couldn’t continue, and it was Diane who made the decision to go into St Barnabas.”

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The family braving the shaveThe family braving the shave
The family braving the shave

Diane was taken to St Barnabas House on December 10, what should have been the first day of the family’s early Christmas.

On December 12, Diane sadly died with her husband Glenn beside her. The family never got to spend their Christmas together.

Glen said: “For the whole time that Diane was at St Barnabas House I never left her side. The team made it possible for me to sleep in the same room with her.

“The team at St Barnabas House made a horrible situation more bearable.”

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Glenn and Diane smiling for a picture togetherGlenn and Diane smiling for a picture together
Glenn and Diane smiling for a picture together

Speaking about the family’s fundraising for St Barnabas House, Glenn said: “The date was poignant for us as we had Diane’s funeral on January 6 and braved the shave on January 7.

“Because of the chemotherapy and radiotherapy that Diane had received she had started to lose her hair, so she asked me to shave it off for her. She wasn’t going to hide what she was going through, and I know that she would be so proud that we were able to raise money for St Barnabas House as a way of giving a little something back.”

In total the family raised over £1,800 for St Barnabas House.

To sponsor Glenn, Charlotte, and Ed, you can visit their JustGiving page and visit {https://www.stbarnabas-hospice.org.uk/ to find out more about the charity.

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