Kacey sheds her locks to raise money for a cure

Kacey Middleton has always been a water baby.

And it was her older brother, Darren, who taught her the ways of the waves.

“As far back as I can remember, it has always been me and Darren, ” she said.

“He was the one to teach me how to surf and I remember as a kid, Mum would drop me off at his place after school and we would hit the waves.

“He is in every memory I have and has basically taught me everything and is such a loved person by everyone who knows him.”

Darren learned he had a brain tumour shortly after his wedding in September 2012 and was diagnosed with brain cancer a month later.

He has since undergone about 10 surgeries and has acquired a health bill totalling about $100,000.

“It’s hard when a relative has cancer, but the fact he is my brother and we are so close makes it especially tough, ” Kacey said.

“I think the hardest part is I see him every day and he doesn’t look sick; he still has hair and hasn’t lost any weight.

“But the reality is he has an extremely aggressive cancer to battle.”

She said the fact her brother was so ill had still not sunken in because of his fighting attitude.

“I was so devastated to find out he had a tumour and now has cancer, ” Kacey said.

“It’s still a shock and even now it hasn’t sunken in that this is real.

“It is so sad to think so many people, and young people especially under 40 years old, are going through this.”

Kacey said she had watched people in the Geraldton community rally for her brother and wanted to do her part.

On February 1 she will get her “Locks off for a cure” with hopes of raising $10,000 for the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation.

“I want to raise more money for this charity because so little is done to help cure brain cancer, yet it is the cancer that kills the most kids, ” Kacey said.

“To get where breast cancer is now, it will take about 20 years of getting the awareness out there and raising enough money.

“I want to shave my hair as a small sacrifice compared to what people are going through and I hope people will continue to donate and support the cause.”

The shave off will be held at Breakers Bar at 7pm on Sunday, February 1.

Tins will be available for donations, or alternatively you can donate directly to Kacey’s fundraising page: www.curebraincancer.org.au/my-fundraising/1134/locks-off-for-a-cure.

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