Sheffield boy, 10, whose brother died aged just two months, honours memory with charity hair cut

Freddie Gilberthorpe, of Wadsley Park, has been growing his hair for nearly four years and on Tuesday, June 21 he will be cutting it off.

His hair will be donated to the Little Princess Trust, which makes real hair wigs for those who need them.

Freddie, who attends Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, said: “I have butterflies, my tummy feels like a washing machine. It’s a mixture of nerves and excitement.”

Freddie’s little brother Bobby died in 2014.

While Bobby was ill, he spent a while in hospital before going to Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, where he sadly passed away.

Freddie’s mum Kate Gilberthorpe, 45, said: “I am incredibly proud of him. He is such a special young man. He has done his little brother proud.”

In the build-up to his hair being cut, Freddie has been asking for donations and set the goal at £400.

To his surprise and that of his mum, the donation total quickly passed this target and stands at just over £2,500.

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Kate, who works for the NHS, said: “We are blown away by the response from people and want to say thank you to everyone for their generosity.”

The money will be equally split between Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice and Blood Cancer UK, which both have a personal connection with the family.

Freddie’s nan has a type of blood cancer called Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma which she has had since she was in her 30s.

In 2019, her cancer got more aggressive, meaning her chemotherapy had to be stepped up.

The aggressive chemotherapy finished just before lockdown.

Kate said: “She was very vulnerable during lockdown and we still haven’t seen her inside.

“We still haven’t seen my parents or hugged them, it’s been really difficult.”

Freddie has been mistaken for a girl many times due to how long it has become since he began growing it.

Both he and his mom would go along with it, even going as far as calling him Susan in public.

Kate said Freddie’s humility and humour have helped him deal with the comments about being a girl, and they have always had fun with it and laughed it off.

After growing it for such a long time, Freddie’s mum thought it was right to do a big celebration for it being cut off.

He has struggled to decide on a haircut and keeps changing his mind.

Friends and family will be there, apart from his nan and grandad who will appear over Zoom due to their vulnerability.

Freddie said: “I do a lot of running so it will feel weird not feeling my hair on my neck. It will be weightless.”

To donate, visit: Fundraiser by Kate Gilberthorpe: Freddie's Hair Challenge - THE BIG CHOP!! (gofundme.com).