Brody, 14, raised more than £600 for Macmillan
A brave teenager put his heart – and head – on the line with a bald fundraising mission for Macmillan in memory of his grandmother.
Sidmouth College student Brody Fowler had his mid-length locks shaved off last Thursday - the night before his 14th birthday - and, in doing so, has raised more than £600 for the cancer support charity.
The heavy metal fan grew his hair especially for the occasion and went to great lengths to gather support by standing up and telling his story in front of four school assemblies.
Brody, of Furzehill, Sidbury, said: “My Nan, Sue, died of cancer, my uncle has had cancer and my brother’s Nan has had cancer. I kept seeing these ‘Brave the Shave’ adverts and I thought it was a good way to honour them.
“I’m not nervous at all - I have been growing my hair especially,” he said before the shave.
“A lot of people have been very supportive. I did four school assemblies. I suggested it to my headteacher and then walked away and instantly felt the regret, but, then, I thought maybe it’s a good thing. A lot of people from school have donated. That is pretty much where most of my money has come from. A friend of mine told me he was really proud because one of his best friends had died of cancer.”
Family and friends turned out to support the teen, who had his head shaved in The Bowd Inn. Stepdad Adrian Pope joined in on the action after successfully challenging people to donate an extra £50 to the cause.
Speaking before the event, Brody’s mum, Becky Pope, said: “It is my mum he is doing it in honour of. She has been gone for two years and they were so close so he was devastated. It’s going to be an emotional night. I think he is being so brave. I do not even know where the idea came from, he just told me he wanted to do it and we checked with the school that he was allowed to. The school has been brilliant in supporting him.”
His grandfather, Herbie Poole, added: “I think it’s quite a wonderful thing for a youngster to do. What I think is brilliant is that the headteacher has gone along with it. He is a smashing kid.”
To support Brody, visit: https://bravetheshave.org.uk/shavers/brody-fowler/
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here