Four sons shave their heads in solidarity with cancer patient mum

Four sons of a cancer patient from Elstree have shaved their heads to raise money for Chai and Cancer Research UK.

Emma Cohen, 53, was diagnosed with breast cancer last September. She has had two operations and lost her hair as a side effect of chemotherapy.

To support their mum, Daniel, Harry, James and Josh all shaved their heads on 12 February at a local barbershop, raising more than £8,000 for the cancer charities.

The boys’ father Elliot Cohen told Jewish News: “They hope to raise as much money as they can to support other people going through this themselves and to hopefully prevent others from having to go through it in the future at all.”

Emma Cohen told Jewish News she is “very proud of my four boys and grateful to them and all my friends and family for their support.”

She said the head shaving, given for free at Goaties salon in Radlett, was “a memorable and emotional event” and that barber Mario “was amazing and made the whole experience fun.”

Josh, who is in year 13 at Immanuel College, said: “Unfortunately, mum was diagnosed with breast cancer last September and has been going through chemotherapy for about three months now, which has been difficult for all of us, and for her most of all.

“I wanted to gain some control over the situation and do something to support her. Obviously, there isn’t anything I can do to actually help Mum with her medical treatment as I’m not an oncologist. So instead, I thought I could help out in a more indirect way and help other families too.”

He said he is “proud of the money we have raised. It’s very strange being bald – and I’m looking forward to going back to school after half term to show off my new haircut!”

This is the second time James, 21, has shaved his head. In 2016, aged 15, he and a friend did so to support another school friend who was undergoing cancer treatment and has since thankfully made a full recovery.

To support the Cohen boys, click here.