York barmaid's head shave to boost our funds

The courage of a York cancer patient has inspired a kind-hearted barmaid holding a hair-raising charity event.

Katie Hodgson, whose mum Maureen Jeffery owns the Three Hares pub at Bilbrough, is shaving her head for York Against Cancer after meeting Dawn Watts, the cancer patient from Copmanthorpe who has raised more than £30,000 for York Against Cancer and other charities.

“Dawn just came into the pub for Sunday lunch and we got talking,” said Katie. “She is an amazing woman – all that money that she has raised!”

Katie was also prompted to act by reading about our new mobile chemotherapy unit and our other activities, and when she mentioned her head-shave idea in the pub a customer instantly promised her £50, setting the ball rolling for the event.

Since then, she has raised more than £700 and she plans to make even more with an evening of fun activities at the Three Hares from 7pm on November 4, 2017.

Some of the pub’s customers will be performing in Stars in their Eyes style, there will be raffles and prize draws, and a hairdresser friend will shave off Katie’s blonde mop to fulfil her charity promise. All are welcome to come along.

Katie also has a JustGiving page through which people can make donations, at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/katie-hodgson6

“I’ve been a care and support worker and I have done palliative and end-of-life care, so this cause is quite close to my heart,” said Katie. “When I read about the mobile chemotherapy unit, I thought, ‘How amazing is that?’

“I have my hair quite short anyway, and speaking to my hairdresser, she thought I could get away with having my hair shaved off. Everybody seems to be affected by cancer either through family or friends, and when I spoke to Dawn, it made it all feel more real.”

Dawn said: “We’ve only met Katie the once but she was so full of fun and excited to be doing the head shave. It should be a great night.”