Working with patients with brain injuries inspired Research Nurse Mary Howard-Johnes to have half her head shaved for charity.
Mary, who has worked at Salford Royal for three and a half years, decided to go for the half and half look because she’s cared for so many people who have felt self-conscious after surgery for head injuries, strokes, brain tumours or neurological problems.
She is raising money for two charities – the national brain injury charity Headway and Salford’s brain and spine injury centre BASIC. Her efforts have also been inspired by her uncle, who died in Canada from a head injury a year ago.
Colleagues, patients and visitors cheered on the 26-year-old from the acute research delivery team as Consultant Neurosurgeon Dan Holsgrove shaved her head ‘operation style’ on 6 May, just before the start of Action for Brain Injury Week.
She also had an ‘I love research’ message written on her bald side to help promote the popular #whywedoresearch social media campaign.
Mary and her partner Vicky baked cakes for the event to thank people for their donations and you can still sponsor Mary’s fundraising efforts through her JustGiving pages for BASIC and Headway.
Mary said: “Brain injury is sometimes a forgotten area but it can be catastrophic for patients – brain injuries are one of the biggest killers of young people. I’d really like to see more long-term services and support for people during recovery too.”
