Brave to shave pupil raises money for Macmillan and Millie O’Shea

A primary school pupil had his hair shaved off to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and 15-year-old Millie O’Shea, who is fighting cancer.

Oscar Carr, 11, carried out his ‘Macmillan Brave to Shave’ in front of 230 pupils in assembly at Britannia Primary School, Bacup, in memory of his dad David who died 13 months ago of cancer and for Millie, who is fighting Wilms’ tumours.

Millie, a student at Whitworth Community High School, and her family supported Oscar at the assembly before attending a further appointment at Christie Hospital Manchester.

Hayley Poles, a salon instructor at Hopwood Hall in Middleton, where Millie’s sister Laura attends, volunteered to help Oscar lose his locks.

Headteacher Natalie Longstaff explained what was going to be happening to the pupils before handing over to Oscar who told the assembly: “I am doing the brave to shave and I am getting my hair shaved off for charity.”

His mum Sara said: “So far we have raised £530 for Macmillan and Millie and there was a further bake and sweets sale at the end of the day to add to the fund.

“I am super proud of Oscar as always. This was Oscar’s idea to do this, he has done it before, and he wanted to raise money for Macmillan and also for Millie because I am friends with her family.

“He has had brilliant support from his friends in Year 6 and all of the school. We would like to say a special thank you to Andrew Heron of CDM Windows and Conservatories for the very generous donation towards the fundraiser.

“The students at Whitworth Community High School have also raised lots for Millie and there have been sponsored walks and bake sales.”

Millie’s aunt Caroline Westerman and her friend Margaret Whiteman work at Demi-Licious across the road from the school in Britannia where they co-ordinated the fundraising.

Millie, from Shawforth, was three when she was first diagnosed with cancer and had been in remission for 11 years when the family was informed in February that it had returned.

She has had several rounds of chemotherapy, including an experimental drug, and surgeons operated on her but after five hours they found it was too complicated to remove the tumours in either her left or right lungs.

Millie is now waiting for a date to start a course of radiotherapy treatment at the Christie Hospital.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/127635/cancer-survivor-millie-o'shea-undergoes-fivehour-operation