Family inspired to help others

Picture by Julian Brown 08/12/18

Erin, aged four, who has Alopecia pictured with her parents Jamie and Tom Didlock and her older sister, Grace, 11 at their Thornton home — Picture by Julian Brown 08/12/18 Erin, aged four, who has Alopecia pictured with her parents Jamie and Tom Didlock and her older sister, Grace, 11 at their Thornton home

But as well as being busy getting ready for the festive season, her mum and dad, Jamie and Tom, are busy preparing for a special fundraising event in the New Year.

The couple, from Thornton, are holding a big charity day at Thornton Cleveleys Football Club, on Sunday, February 3, for a cause very close to their hearts.

They hope to raise both awareness and money for Alopecia UK.

When Erin was three, with a full head of blonde curly locks, her hair started to fall out. Her parents took her to the doctors and after a few appointment with specialists, she was diagnosed with alopecia areata. By the time she turned four, her hair had completely fallen out and she had also lost her eyebrows and eyelashes.

Jamie, who is a nail technician, said: “After numerous visits to the specialists and doctors, it was evident the doctors had insufficient information and treatment suggestions for children with this horrible disease. We have found on Erin’s journey there’s not enough awareness of alopecia in general, but especially in children.

“With Erin being a little girl, she wants to look like a princess, with bows and ribbons in her hair. She has the odd time when she gets upset, she will ask when she can have hair like her sister, but she has never seen us upset about it in front of her.

“It started last year when she was three, I noticed her hair looked like it was starting to recede. Then she lost about 50 per cent of it and then 70 per cent. It started to grow back, but then it all came out.

“Because it’s so rare in children, we wanted to raise awareness and also raise money to fund research.

“The big charity event will feature all kinds of stalls, games, raffles, entertainment and so on.

“We are raising as much as possible and will be donating half to Alopecia Awareness and the other half will go towards making funky crochet hats or hats with big, long pony tails built-in for young children who have no hair, or suffer from alopecia – as this is something we found there is a huge shortage of for Erin. Crochet would be soft on her head.

“There are a few expensive ones, but children are going to grow out of them quickly.

“We’ve had lots of support already. But if anyone can help with donations, for prizes or the raffle, we would be very grateful. Everyone is welcome to come along and play a part in supporting our cause.”

Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jamie-didlock