Pupils shave heads to show support

Saturday, February 27, 2010
12:00 PM

TWO students at a Suffolk school have shown their support for a friend who is battling leukaemia by shaving their hair off.

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TWO students at a Suffolk school have shown their support for a friend who is battling leukaemia by shaving their hair off.

Sophie Brown, a year 11 student at St Alban's Catholic High School in Ipswich, was diagnosed with the illness on November 16, 2009.

It has caused her to miss time at school, suffer from severe fatigue, appetite loss and hair loss.

After undergoing months of chemotherapy and treatment at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, Sophie - who is hoping to study law at Cambridge University - remained strong.

Last week she returned to school to witness two of her closest friends shave their hair off.

As a sign of solidarity and support for Sophie, school friends Storm Donohoe and Sameer Khalid braved the razor blades and shaved their heads - raising thousands of pounds for UK charity Children With Leukaemia.

Brave teen Sophie, who is also head girl at the high school, said that her school friends had been very supportive throughout her treatment.

She said: “I'm really touched by the money which my friends have raised.

“They have all been so supportive and knowing that they are there for me is so amazing.”

Both teens agreed that their heads “felt lighter” after the big shave.

Proud mum Fiona Brown said that her daughter had remained brave and positive throughout difficult times. She said: “When Sophie was diagnosed it was a terrible shock, it really came completely out of the blue.

“She is amazing and she is such a real fighter - she makes me proud every single day.

“You don't know what people are like and how strong they are until something like this hits them - she is the bravest girl and she has humbled me.”

Mrs Brown later added: “Her brother and sister have also kept strong - they treat her like a normal person still and that is what she needs, she doesn't need to be treated like a cripple.”