A healthcare assistant at Basildon Hospital who wants to prove "you don't need hair to be pretty" will shave her head for charity.

Brave Dee Saunders, who works on Chelmer Ward at Basildon University Hospital, said she "had to be involved" when she first heard about the Macmillan’s Brave the Shave campaign.

The hospital said the health worker was 'known among family, friends and colleagues for doing things a little differently."

Dee said: “I’m doing this to prove you don’t need hair to be strong and pretty. I have always wanted to do something a bit different and when I heard about Brave the Shave I thought it was a really good idea.

“I do come across the Macmillan nurses in my job and I think what they do is amazing. It’s great to be able to support such a fantastic charity.”

Dee, 38, is going to have her shoulder-length hair cut and donate it to the Little Princess Trust, who specialise in making wigs for children living with cancer. She will then shave her head.

Rush hairdressers in Basildon have agreed to perform the cut and shave in their salon on Saturday 29 August, at 1pm.

Dee added: “I don’t like being in the spotlight but for something like this, when you are raising money for such worthwhile causes, I have had to tell people. Most tell me I’m mad and they can’t believe I’m doing it. I’m mostly concerned about my hair growing back grey!”

The Essex Cardiothoracic Centre worker will be shaving her hair off to raise money for Macmillan.

To find out more and donate, visit to Dee’s JustGiving page: https://bravetheshave.org.uk/shavers/dee-saunders/