Two Suffolk teachers are sporting a bald new look as they head back to the classroom for the new school year.
Head of school, Sam Sims, and teaching assistant, Adrianna Houchell, from Meadows Montessori School braved the shave on Friday (6th September) in front of an audience of more than 30 pupils. They did it to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research in memory of their friend and colleague, Ruth Brailsford.
Ruth had been working as a teaching assistant at the school for a few months when she was diagnosed with a glioblastoma (GBM) in November 2021. Despite surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the cancer was too aggressive. Ruth died in January 2023, aged 41, leaving her husband Mark and eight-year-old son, Zeb.
Sam said: “We saw Ruth’s condition deteriorate gradually, she never hid herself away and was very open with her brain tumour journey. Delivering the news of her diagnosis and death to the pupils, teachers and parents remains one of the hardest things I have had to do during my 16 years running the school.”
Sam and Adriana’s head shave was the latest in a series of challenges the duo has taken on for Brain Tumour Research. Sam braved a skydive in 2022 and last year, the pair skipped 10 minutes a day for 30 days. Their total fundraising now stands at almost £6,000 and in April 2025 they will run the TCS London Marathon MyWay – a virtual version of the famous 26.2-mile race.
“Since finding out Ruth’s diagnosis was terminal, we vowed as a school to do something every year to raise money and awareness of this devastating disease. Jumping out of a plane was scary but I was excited to test myself. The head shave was by far the oddest challenge I’ve done for charity and I will continue to find weird and wonderful ways to raise awareness of brain tumours,” Sam added.
“Before Ruth’s diagnosis, I knew nothing about what it meant to have a brain tumour. I’ve since learned that treatment options are limited and often harsh. If we are to change this, we must invest in research into brain tumours.”
To support Sam and Adriana’s fundraising, click here to donate via their JustGiving page.
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Published Monday 15th September 2024.