Pat Gatcum who lived in Hughenden Graden Retirement Village in High Wycombe, died in 2023, shortly after she had a seizure out of the blue caused by an aggressive brain tumour.
Yesterday (27 March), residents took to the catwalk to show off their best headwear to remember Pat and raise money for Brain Tumour Research in celebration of Wear A Hat Day.
Best hat was awarded to a cap topped with a spinner, the two runners up wore an Easter bonnet and hat inspired by The Blue Brothers.
Mina Aldred, a 24-year-old non-binary care worker from High Wycombe, helped organise the hat parade and ended the day of fundraising by shaving their head.
They said: “It was heartbreaking when Pat died, and it was felt deeply among the residents. Although my hair has always been a way of expressing myself, I didn’t hesitate when planning this year’s Wear A Hat Day activity.
Mina, said their hair helped in finding their identity, and has had a rainbow of hair colours including, lilac, red, platinum blonde and black. They added: “It was a strange sensation as the clippers went over my head, I’m glad I could do something to help raise even more money for the charity. I have come to understand that they are more common than perhaps people know.”
The care facility is home to residents from age 55, and the eldest resident is 102. Over the last three years, they have raised almost £1,000 for the charity whose vision is to find a cure for all types of brain tumours.
Mina lost their dad to cancer when they were younger. They said: “Working in this close-knit environment, you get to know everyone quickly so when there is a tragedy such as losing Pat, it’s felt deeply and brings out the best of the community. It reminded me of what I can do for others and how we should grab every opportunity we have to push forward to be part of the change we want to see such as more investment in research into brain tumours.”
Brain Tumour Awareness Month was launched in 2004 by a group of charities that went on to become founding members of Brain Tumour Research. The charity is marking its 15th anniversary with a month-long programme of events to highlight the devastation caused by the disease which kills more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
The month culminates with Wear A Hat Day, one of the UK’s biggest and best-loved brain tumour awareness and fundraising days on Friday 28 March.
Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Pat’s story is said although not uncommon, brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. We’re grateful to the effort in which residents and Mina have taken to raise awareness. We love to see this event bringing people’s creative side to light. There are more than 100 different types of brain tumour, making them notoriously difficult to find effective treatments for. With the support of people such a Mina and residents at Hughenden Garden Retirement Village, we’re closer to finding a cure.”
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure. The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.
If you’ve been inspired to donate to Brain Tumour Research via Mina’s Wear A Hat Day head shave, please visit: justgiving.com/page/mina-aldred-1