Mum and daughter brave the shave to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research

Trish and Samantha have braved the shave for charity

A Ramsgate mum and daughter have braved the shave  for charity Brain Tumour Research.

Samantha Emptage, 37, and her mum Trish Bax, 57, went under the razor to remove all their hair, raising more than £3,000 for the cause.

Mum-of-two Samantha wanted to raise the money to help fund research after her daughter Sophie, eight, was diagnosed with a craniopharyngioma – a type of benign brain tumour – in January last year.

The symptoms for Sophie began the previous December when she suffered headaches, nausea and vomiting. She then had an eye test at Specsavers in Ramsgate and diligent staff spotted swelling on both optical nerves and advised they were going to refer the youngster urgently for further checks.

After checks the Ramsgate Arts Primary pupil was blue-lighted to King’s College hospital where surgeons operated after finding Sophie had a dangerous hydrocephalus (a build-up of fluid in the brain).

Sophie had six weeks and 28 sessions of radiotherapy, using proton beams to kill off what was left.

The Stage Door performing arts academy and St Lawrence Brownies member is now doing well although she will have a lifetime of tests and MRIs

The brave the shave challenge was held in the Australian Arms.

Samantha said: “We were raising money for Brain Tumour Research following my daughter’s diagnosis in January last year.
“We have raised around £3000 so far and hope to raise more via sponsorship.
“Thank you to the Australian Arms for hosting our brave the shave and The East Kent Arms for their charity race night.

“Also thank you to all the businesses at Westwood who very generously donated raffle prizes for the night, to all our sponsors and those who have donated to our buckets which have been in both pubs and to family and friends for their support.”

Samantha says the experience of having her hair shaved off was “freeing but cold!”

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer… yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity dedicated to funding long-term, sustainable research in the UK.

Find Samantha’s fundraising page here

Ramsgate mum says ‘fantastic’ staff at town’s Specsavers may have saved her daughter’s life