Granny cuts hair to thank NICFC

Marie before her hair was cut. INBM23-16S

A Ballymoney grandmother has had eight inches cut off her hair to raise money Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children.

Marie McFarland, whose grandson has Leukaemia, decided she wanted to help raise vital funds for Daisy Lodge which offers short breaks in Newcastle for families suffering from cancer. The hair will also go to Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs for children undergoing cancer treatment

Marie explained: “I had a hair cut to raise money for Cancer Fund for Children because Daisy Lodge is such a wonderful facility.

“My grandson Joseph is into his third year of treatment for Leukaemia. Thank God he is currently doing well. I would just like to say thank you to NICFC for all their dedication and love. We have enjoyed much needed breaks at Daisy Lodge. The staff are wonderful, the food is delicious and the facility is top notch. The facility could not operate without lots of fundraising, hence I would like to support this sterling work.”

To donate: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/M-McFarland, Donations may be also given to Marie or left at Jayne Blair’s hairdressing and beauty salon “Hush Boutique” lower Main Street, Ballymoney.

Marie added: “Often people are concerned that it is very hard for us to get a break as a family – for where could you go with a child with a suppressed immune system? And here is where NICFC comes in.

“Here in Northern Ireland, Cancer Fund for Children have a retreat home called Daisy Lodge that has been purpose built for families who are dealing with cancer. It is a state of the art facility – the only one of its kind in all of Europe – and staffed by wonderfully caring people. We have enjoyed several short breaks here as a family and it has been very refreshing for us and safe for Joseph.”