Eep! Im doing it! Nana passed away from Leukaemia when I was five years old. Only old enough to remember a gentle smile, soft hugs, the scent of wisteria in the driveway, the sight of camellias in the garden, and the most incredible chicken soup - never matched in the subsequent 35 years of my life! For so much of the time I knew her it was the smell of antiseptic and the taste of Cadburys Caramello that she kept in her bedside drawer as a treat when we visited her hospital bed. I didnt know her well, but her incredible strength, gentle personality, overwhelming kindness and immense generosity left a lasting legacy amongst my broader family. Even at five I knew that this wasnt fair. So much so that since its inception in 98 Ive wanted to be involved in the Worlds Greatest Shave and raise funds for Leukaemia research and support. Not one to want to be in the spotlight, however, fundraising to the endgame of SHAVING my HEAD seemed incredibly daunting! So year after year it passed me by, mostly forgotten or put off by life, until now! This 40th year of my life was seeming more and more like a great milestone to tie in with raising funds in honour of Nanas memory. Month after month the idea of shaving my head with the other participants in March next year was growing on me. Tonight I logged on to sign up, and tonight I checked our family history to find that Nana passed on the 31st of August and was born on the 6th of November. I decided in the moment that this was a better time to participate! So, Im fast-tracking this quite significantly! The plan now is to shave my head in 11 days time, commemorating the date that Nana passed, and colour my hair (the whole centimetre or two ) on the 6th of November, in recognition of her life! I... am... legitimately terrified! But I know its for a good cause. Ive set my fundraising goals at the modest amount of $350, but Im hoping to smash through that with your help. Please consider donating, or if you cant then maybe youll share my link to raise funds for this important cause, and to the memory of my Nana, Eugenia Skorza. PS Almost all of my memories of Nana are feelings and sensory; warmth, comfort, flowers, food. If you knew Nana, Eugenia Skorza (nee Rurak), and would like to share a treasured memory of her (with or without a donation) it would mean the world to me x EDIT This is amazing!!! I didnt expect to reach my goal so quickly! With 10 days to go until I lop my locks, Ive raised myself the challenge of raising $1200! EXTRA EDIT We did it again!!! Weve hit my second goal in a matter of days, and with six more to go it cant hurt to aim a little higher! The money weve raised so far can subsidise support programs, provide accommodation close to treatment, and cover the cost of transport for patients too sick to drive. At $2000 dollars we begin to be able to fund research, which - just quietly - has been my dream all these years. Were so close already! Lets go!! FINAL EDIT It is done! The shaving bit at least! i shaved my head on 31st of August, raising just over $4000, an amazing effort for which I’m truly grateful and proud. If you were wanting to donate but feel like you missed your moment, no problem! I’ll still be fundraising through to the 6th November when Ill colour the hair thats grown back, so please, continue to contribute! Every little bit adds up!