A PRESTWICK woman has shaved her hair to help hundreds of Ayrshire cancer patients.

Melanie Nolan, 55, has helped raised enough for cash for Ayrshire Cancer Support to carry out 200 journeys from the county to the Beatson Centre in Glasgow.

On Saturday, May 23 she braved the shave with her husband John, 52, acting as her barber as she live-streamed the full event to all her friends and family on Facebook.

An online fundraiser was set up, which has raised an incredible £2,500 for the charity, which supports patients by providing a transport service.

For Melanie, losing her hair for the charity which has been impacted by coronavirus pandemic was well worth it.

She herself has been volunteering to take patients to their vital cancer treatment appointments.

She told the Advertiser: “I’ve been volunteering as a driver whilst I am not working. I normally work in Prestwick library and events management.

“Ayrshire Cancer Support do so much in the area for patients, but their patient transport service for those who need it is invaluable.”

“People don’t realise that it can be a very long journey from Ayrshire to Glasgow. Sometimes they can be away for six hours. With COVID-19 they aren’t sharing with anyone, it’s just them and the driver. It means more journeys have to be made. If I can help with that, then it’s worth it.”

It is not the first charity challenge for Melanie, whose mum died of cancer last year.

Five years ago, she raised £2,500 for Motor Neurone Disease by doing 5k of various exercises in memory of her dad.

Melanie told the Advertiser: “It’s something I was thinking of doing for when I’m 60.

“But it just felt like the right time to go ahead with it.”

“I can’t believe how much I have managed to raise this time round. I expected it to be more like £400 but there seems to be a depth of feeling with this, like it’s a big thing for a woman to do.”

“People think I am really brave for doing it, but for me if shaving my head means hundreds of people can get treated for cancer, then it’s worth it.

“I’d do it every six months if I could.”

You can donate to Melanie's fundraiser for Ayrshire Cancer Support here.

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