Five-year-old big brother and grandmother shave their heads in support of two-year-old’s rare cancer diagnosis 

Five-year-old big brother Milo Woolard, and Grandmother, Sue Goodjohn, 56, have shaved their heads in a fundraiser for Neuroblastoma UK, in support of their little sister and granddaughter, Zella, 2, who has been diagnosed with cancer.

Zella’s mum, Rachel Woolard, 26, from Ely, Cambridge, took her daughter to the hospital in August 2023, when she noticed Zella was having trouble sleeping and appeared to be having issues with her vision.

Rachel said: “At the time I didn’t think much of it, and I expected that we’d be sent home within a couple of hours. But soon after we arrived, Zella was taken for a scan and there were around five or six doctors in the room, which seemed a bit extreme.”

After the scan, doctors told Rachel to ask her husband, Zella’s dad, Ryan, 26, to come to the hospital.

“As soon as they said that I just knew it was going to be something awful. When Ryan arrived, they took us into a private room, and I couldn’t even tell you what they said to be honest,” Rachel said.

The doctors found a large tumour in Zella’s pelvic area, and within 48 hours, two-year-old Zella, started chemotherapy.

The following day, Zella was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer that accounts for around 6% of all childhood cancers.¹

Since receiving Zella’s diagnosis, Rachel said: “There are really no words to describe exactly how overwhelming it all feels when your child is diagnosed with cancer.

“It’s all been such a blur. It came completely out of the blue and we were in shock for a while, it felt like a horrible, never-ending nightmare.”

The family of four, including Zella’s big brother, Milo, 5, have found the past few months incredibly difficult and Grandmother Sue, has been there to support them every step of the way.

Rachel said: “We were trying to think of a way to raise some money for charity and I kept joking to my Mum ‘oh shave your hair off’, shave your hair, just do it come on’ and eventually she agreed.

“Zella lost her hair really quickly. In the first round of chemo she pretty much lost it all. So it means a lot that my mum, Zella’s Nanny, has done it for her.”

Milo, Zella’s big brother, decided to join his Nanny in the head shave.

Rachel said: “He’s always said he wanted to do it but you know, he’s five, so I wasn’t sure if he was just saying it, but he seemed very certain of it.

“He obviously knows that his sister, isn’t very well and has no hair and he also knows that we are raising money for charity, so I think that’s all he really understands, and that’s why he wanted to do it.”

On December 1, on Sue’s 56^th birthday, she and her grandson, Milo, shaved their heads to raise money for Neuroblastoma UK, a charity who fund vital research into finding a cure for the disease.

Sue said: “I was a little bit apprehensive at first, but Rachel has actually done a really good job and its for Zella and a really good cause, so that’s the main thing.”

Sue and Milo have raised over £6,000 for Neuroblastoma UK, and Sue said: “I’m overwhelmed by it all really, I didn’t realise we’d be able to raise so much money.

“I’m so grateful and blown away by everyone’s generosity and support for Zella and the charity.”

Pascale Harvie, President and General Manager of JustGiving said: “Little Zella is a warrior. It’s heart-breaking to hear that any child is battling a disease as cruel as cancer and it is something that no parent, grandparent or sibling should ever have to deal with.

“Sue and Milo’s fundraiser was an amazing way to show support for Zella and the whole family at such a difficult time and they have already raised an amazing amount of money for a vital charity, that helps so many children affected by cancer.”

To support Zella’s Nanny, Sue in raising money for Neuroblastoma UK, click here.

NOTES TO EDITOR

For further information contact  press@justgiving.com

¹Neuroblastoma UK: https://www.neuroblastoma.org.uk/about-neuroblastoma 

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