Lisa’s getting ready to Brave the Shave

By timesecholife on in All News, Uttoxeter news

A JCB worker is planning to brave the shave next month to mark World Cancer Day. Lisa Humphreys is planning to shear her locks in support of a ‘very special family,’ who received devastating news just as the UK entered the first lockdown last year.

Lisa met Susan Wood on a Youth Training Scheme at Harrogate Equestrian Centre in 1985 and two became firm friends. Susan, known as Sooze, is Godmother to Lisa’s oldest daughter, who was also a bridesmaid when Sooze married Ali Young. Lisa’s three children, Emma, Mellis and Nick live in North Yorkshire with her six grandchildren, while Sooze and Ali moved to Silverstone with children William and Georgia.

It was on March 19 last year, as the UK entered the first Covid-19 lockdown, that Sooze and Ali heard the devastating news that Will had been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia and was also Philadelphia positive.

Lisa, who moved to Hollington in June and works at JCB Rocester, said: “Covid-19 has made the whole process so much more difficult – no visitors for a start. However, Will and the family are very lucky to have an amazing support network around them. As I live further away and with Covid making this diagnosis so much harder to cope with, I would like to ask you all to join me in making a difference. Not just for Will and his family but for all teenagers and families whose lives have been affected by cancer.

“I live too far from them to be able to support personally especially with Covid-19, so this is my way of supporting and also highlighting the Teenage Cancer Trust.”

Will’s mum, Sooze, is urging parents to be aware of the signs that their teenager could be ill. Will complained of tiredness, a high temperature, night sweats and pain in his legs while living away from home for the first time while undertaking an apprenticeship.

After returning home, Sooze recognised the symptoms as being similar to what her dad had experiences and returned to the GP several times over three weeks before securing a hospital appointment. She said: “I think it’s important to highlight that we expect teenagers to be tired all the time. But as mums we know when it’s ‘not normal’ and to trust your instinct with anything that’s out of the ordinary. I kept taking him back until they listened.”

To find out more about symptoms and the work of the Teenage Cancer Trust, visit: teenagecancertrust.org.uk. To support Lisa’s Brave the Shave fund-raiser, search for ‘Lisa Humphreys’ at gofundme.com or click here.

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