Hi guys,

🌟❤️Chopping Done & Target Reached❤️🌟

Orla & I got chopped today...26" length donations from me & 10" donations from my girl🥰

Huge thanks to Lucinda Kyle @Halo at home for donating her services to restyle us both & to her daughter Claudia who helped with the snipping✂️

We are utterly thrilled at the level of support we've received & are looking forward to knowing others going through challenges will be helped.

Pics in gallery x

🌟 Thank you sooooo much for all your support this far.... We'd ❤️ however to ensure our hair is transformed into wigs we seek more. We've blasted past £1000.....please help us get to £1300 by Monday 12th September - the day of the chop, much ❤️ Judith & Orla xxxxx🌟

⭐I've updated my goal amount as my own gorgeous little princess Orla has decided to donate her locks too⭐ #proudmum #littleprincesstrust #strawberryblondelocks

I am fortunate, blessed, loved, lucky & alive 🥰 and wish to pay it forward & seek your help to do so.

Please support my fundraiser, with whatever you can, ensuring you apply gift aid if eligible, to ensure my hair donation is crafted into a wig or wigs to help youngsters who've lost their hair.

A little bit about what's brought me to do this which some of you will know but others won't...big breath....so........

August 3rd 2022 marks 10 years since the surgery that saved me from a benign,yet life threatening, brain tumour. On Monday July 30th 2012, days after returning from Disneyland Paris, I was heading out for coffee & cake when, crossing the road, I started staggering. Keen for a catch up I dismissed this concerning sign & headed to Boogie Woogie for a mocha & fine piece. A little later in Tesco the staggering returned & I collapsed with searing head pain. My amazing sister in law Diane was with me & called an ambulance. ( I don't think I've ever said it publicly Diane just how grateful I am to you but will take this opportunity to say thank you, I love you & I owe my world to you 😘x).  That action meant I was quickly taken to Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin where the A&E team investigated me thoroughly including a scan which revealed all was not well. Transferred to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Neurosurgical ward that night it was all a bit of a blur -turns out in an Ambulance I do get travel sick. 

On Wednesday August 1st, our 14th wedding anniversary, whilst my parents sat with our children, Graeme & I learned that I needed life saving surgery & fast. Our gorgeous children Seth, Saul & Orla then aged 7, 4 & 10 months were, and remain, our priority. I recall asking to have my haircut/shaved before the surgery so that it would be less scary for them to see me afterwards however was reassured that Mr Al Hadad, my surgeon, felt that would not be necessary. Friday August 3rd was the day of surgery & Graeme accompanied me down to theatre. (You're my rock Graeme & you have my ❤️ always - thank you for being my husband & our kids Dad & for your unfaltering support through a really tricky time for us all). I'm sure the journey back to Keith was not a pleasant one for him, nor the long wait to hear the procedure had gone well. I suspect that the kids kept him & our folks sane that day whilst I was taken care of. 

August 4th I waken up......Despite an open craniotomy my hair was preserved - the drain from my wound tucked behind my ear the only visible clue on me that I'd had surgery. The gadgets in High Dependency & the attentive nursing team hinted that I needed care but I'm grateful that cuddles with my crew were permitted from day 1. Looking like me, albeit tired,was a tremendous help to me & my young family as well as my husband & parents. Not everyone on Ward 40 enjoyed that & I was humbled by my situation. 

Thanks to Mr Al Hadad's skill & excellent care from all at ARI I made it 'home' in 2 weeks to join my team at my Mum & Dad's in Keith. They'd looked after Graeme, Seth, Saul & Orla handsomely, supported by Graeme's parents, his brothers, sisters in law & the kid's cousins, & it was a lovely transition to life outside the hospital. I'm certain it was reassuring to them as well that their 'wee girl' of 37 was on the mend. Thanks Mum & Dad for all you did & do for us ❤️ you. 

After a short time there, during which I met my nephew Danny who'd been born during my hospital stay,  we returned to Inverness. We had to commence normality & permit Saul to start school - my 'blip' as I've come to affectionately call it, had delayed him starting primary 1 for a couple of weeks. He's a wee trouper however & coped admirably.

Our family, friends, neighbours, Smithton Primary School, Les Enfants Nursery & Graeme's work  were an amazing support to all of us - thank you from the bottom of my ❤️. Every card, call, message, visit, food delivery, childcare provision & hug all made such a difference - you are stars 🌟.

Recovery took time (fatigue is not simply being extra tired & trauma catches up with you when you least expect it) however I've made it to the other side & live a very full & fulfilled life.

Dr Harrington; the ambulance crews; the A&E team at Dr Gray's; Mr Al Hadad & his neurosurgical team; the staff of, the then, Ward 40 ARI; the wonderful staff of Kingsmills Medical Practice,  Mr Bhatt, Dr David Herd and others behind the scenes are all a credit to our wonderful NHS - thank you for helping me get to now 🥰

Along the way I let my hair grow a bit. I kept letting it grow and now have quite a lot of it😊.  A few years ago I decided I'd like to cut it but felt it could be useful to others and made the decision to support the Little Princess Trust. Covid came along & interrupted all our worlds so beyond that I thought marking my 10 year anniversary of survival would be the right time to go shorter.

I'd love to assist in making a young person's treatment journey or recovery that bit easier if they can feel they look more like themselves in a Little Princess Trust wig.

Thank you for your support behalf of me & those that will receive my hair, ❤️ Judith x

Here is some information on their work:

When a child loses their hair to cancer or another condition, we'll be there with a free, real hair wig to help restore their confidence and identity. We won't stop until the research that we fund ends childhood cancer forever. Promise. Please visit us at www.littleprincesses.org.uk to find out how you can help us give young people back what cancer takes away.The Trust relies solely on the efforts of enthusiastic community fundraisers. We receive no formal funding. Please help to raise money for us so that we can help more families.