Julie, 58, shaves her head after long-time friend says she was scared of losing her hair to cancer

Julie Walton, 58, braved the blade as a sign of support for her friend and colleague, Tamara Beckwith, who was diagnosed with breast cancer.

The 58-year-old said she made the decision to shave her head for Macmillan Cancer Support after Tamara told her she was terrified of losing her hair during chemotherapy treatment.

Her head shave was broadcast as it happened on social media via Facebook Live. It has had some 2,200 hits so far. Julie, who has known Tamara for 12 years, said: “Your hair doesn’t define who you are, your heart or the strength that you have.”

Julie set up an online fundraising page last Monday hoping to raise £1,000. The page has since raised more than £1,600 and she now hopes to double her target.

She said: “I’m proud of how much we’ve raised in a week. People tell me I’m brave but I’m just showing support for Tamara.” On Tuesday Tamara, 52 became a first-time grandmother to grandson Oliver George. Julie hopes that this will give Tamara something to focus on while going through chemo and radiotherapy.

Tamara, an admin manager, said: “I’m absolutely over the moon about it.”

The Huddersfield woman has had the breast cancer removed but still needs 12 months of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

She said Julie was ‘absoutely fantastic’ and very brave for shaving her head, and the amount of money raised was ‘unbelievable.’

Donate at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/
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