A kind-hearted coach of an athletics club in Macroom decided to shave her head in support of one of the club’s younger members, who lost her hair to leukemia.
By Kieran O’Mahony
A KIND-hearted coach of an athletics club in Macroom decided to shave her head in support of one of the club’s younger members, who lost her hair to leukemia.
Colette O’Riordan, coach and secretary of Muskerry Athletics Club, was so moved by 11 year-old Aoife Lucey’s illness, that at a recent fundraiser in Macroom, she decided to shave her head as part of the night’s events.
‘Aoife was diagnosed with leukemia last September and because we are a tight-knit club, we decided to come up with the idea of a concert so that everybody could get involved,’ Colette told The Southern Star.
‘Aoife found losing her hair the hardest thing to accept as she had beautiful long blonde hair which she lost within the first two weeks. So I said if I could show her some support, I’d be willing to shave my own hair as a fundraiser. She didn’t think I’d do it!’
Aoife’s parents, Caroline and Jim, and her three brothers were thrilled with the huge support on the night and were even more delighted when Colette told them this week that the fundraiser raised over €12,000, with money still coming in.
‘Our aim was to make about €6,000 and I thought that would be a push at best, so to raise this amount is unbelievable. The money raised will go to her re-habilitation and ongoing medical needs, as she will have two-and-a-half years of chemo before she’s in remission,’ said Colette.
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