Bald and Bolder For It SOPHIE Gibbons
I am bald. Her mum had noticed it first the facial drooping, the lack of normal baby responses, perhaps even abnormal breathing. Imogen was rushed to hospital at 14 days old, Bleeding in her brain was a tumour hidden in her cerebellum. Baby Imogen was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer - congenital glioblastoma multiforme grade 4 at two weeks of age. Imogen has never known life without cancer. Chemo, brain surgery, and procedures are the normality for her. Little Imogen isn’t even one year old, and yet she has endured more hardship and pain than most of us will endure in a lifetime. Soon little Imogen’s story gained the attention of the surrounding community prompting people to write out their prayers on a piece of paper. People attached their prayers to solar lights and then stuck them in the Rae family’s front lawn – the effect is a dazzling display of at least 100 lights for little Imogen and her family. It was at this point that I made my decision – I was going to do my bit and raise money for baby Imogen and shave off all my hair. At two weeks into the fundraising, I checked the Go Fund Me page, and we had reached my original goal of 1000 dollars! Amazed my family encouraged me to increase the goal to 3000 dollars, and that is what I did. At just 24 hours until shaving day, we reached the adjusted target goal of 3000 dollars – even people I have never met were donating to the cause. On the 25th of October, I sat in front of a Facebook live stream and finally shaved off all my hair with the help of my housemates. During the live stream, the Go Fund Me hit 6000 dollars! Little Imogen and her mum watched the live stream from the safety of the hospital while the rest of her family watched from their home. I have so much love and gratitude for everyone who supported this whole journey, whether it was a share, a donation, or a good wish/prayer. I am overwhelmed with the kindness of people. I am now bald; I get weird looks wherever I go. Shaving my head was a step and a half outside of my comfort zone. But if you asked me “would you do it all again?” The answer would be one big enthusiastic “yes.”
12
