Why I'm shaving my head to raise money for the MS Trust


27 March 2019

Our brilliant supporter Vikki will be shaving her head during MS Awareness Week to raise vital funds for the MS Trust. Here she tells us about the inspiration behind her fundraising. 

2019 sees me ‘celebrate’ my 20th anniversary of having been diagnosed with MS and boy, what a ride it’s been! I’ve wanted to do something to raise money for a while now and decided that my 20th year was the perfect time to do so.

With limited mobility and problems with fatigue, even with the aid of my pretty pink crutches, I knew I wouldn’t be able to manage to run a marathon, or be a part of one of the many organised treks that the MS Trust do to raise money; so it had to be something individual and personal to me…and there is not much more personal than having your head shaved!  Your hairstyle is part of your identity, who you are, in essence - but my philosophy was that it would always grow back, so why not go for it?!  I was also largely supported by my hairdresser who was the one to agree to this mad idea in the first place!

I have done fundraising in the past for MS charities, but this time I really wanted to do something special for the MS Trust. I’ve always liked how straightforward the MS Trust website is to navigate, and how all the information is easily accessible and clearly set out.  It was the MS Trust website that helped me to make a decision about which DMD (Disease Modifying Drugs) would be most suitable for me when I tried that route about 10 years ago. Even though it didn’t work out for me in the long run, at the time the information I got from the MS Trust was invaluable.

The MS Trust has helped me along the way over the past 20 years and I felt that it was time to give back and raise money so that other people, particularly the newly diagnosed, would be able to access the information and support they need to be able to deal with having this chronic condition

The Kids Guide to MS helped me talk about the condition with my two boys, when they were much younger, in a simple way that they could understand, and the exercises with Mr Motivator helped me to get moving and back exercising again after a particularly debilitating relapse. 

These are just some of the reasons why I feel that fundraising for the MS Trust is so important. The MS Trust has helped me along the way over the past 20 years and I felt that it was time to give back and raise money so that other people, particularly the newly diagnosed, would be able to access the information and support they need to be able to deal with having this chronic condition. I think it is so important for us all to help each other as much as we can; after all, only we can truly understand what it is like to be living with MS, a condition which affects each of us in so many different ways.

I have been truly astounded, humbled and blown away by the amount of love and support I have received in my fundraising quest so far - both from those I know and even some I don’t. With just over a month to go, I have already achieved a running total of an incredible £1000, which when I set out was the dream target I had in mind…and I’ve already smashed it!

Watch this space to see how much I will eventually raise after my head is shaved during MS Awareness week on Thursday, 25th April.  I’m actually going to be going live on Facebook during the head shave itself.  My son is going to be filming it for me!  So, do watch out for me on the day…

If you would like to donate to this cause, please do so by visiting my JustGiving page. 

Thanks a million!