At 17 years old my hair began to fall out in small clumps and patches on my head - Alopecia Areata - . By 18 I was completely bald, had also lost my eyebrows so got them tattooed on - Alopecia Totalis- and had bought my first wig. Then by 20 years old I had lost all of the hair on my entire body - Alopecia Universalis - The condition of alopecia can happen to anyone, any age, any gender, at any time, and in my opinion one of the worst things about it is that Doctors are unable to conclude why it happens, or offer a definitive cure... There are 'treatments' out there but the results are very scarce with low success rates. Although alopecia doesn't cause any physical harm to someones health, I can't express enough how much damage it can do to someones mental health, it really can destroy someones self confidence and leave them feeling really low. This is why charities like Alopecia UK are so vital to the people who live with this condition day in and day out.

Alopecia UK is a small charity working to improve the lives of those affected by alopecia. The charity has aims around Support, Awareness and Research, such as:-
- Providing impartial information, advice and support to help people feel less isolated
- Raising awareness to the general public and healthcare professionals about alopecia and its psychological impact
- Providing hope and confidence to people with alopecia by funding research into its causes, with the aim of finding treatments, and ultimately, a cure.

Alopecia UK relies on the support of fundraisers and donors to continue the fantastic work it does.

Thank you for supporting me with my fundraising efforts, honestly any amount at all would mean so much! I really appreciate your support and so does Alopecia UK!

Let's just hope I don't embarrass myself out there haha!!

Catherine OHagan