Kirkcaldy mum chops off long hair to raise funds for MS Society after diagnosis

Alison Major, 47, started experiencing symptoms at her daughter’s school book fair in February 2022 - her legs began to feel ‘wobbly’ and unbalanced. After visiting the GP, she was referred for further tests and was diagnosed with MS in December 2023. Now, she’s raising funds and awareness for MS by cutting off her hair on October 12. You can sponsor Alison at www.justgiving.com/page/alison-major-1977

She said: “I contacted the MS Society quite early on because as soon as my healthcare team mentioned MS, I was freaked out. I like information, so I contacted them and asked what they could tell me. They’ve just been amazing, providing information about symptoms, managing relapses, and in particular, how to talk to my eight-year-old daughter about MS.

“I was so scared to talk to her about what she was just calling ‘mum’s wobbly legs’. But with the support I got from MS Society, I was able to better explain what was going on.”

MS is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. This impacts how people move, think, and feel, and can make it hard to do everyday tasks – like taking care of your hair.

Explaining why she chose to cut her hair as a fundraiser, Alison said: “I couldn’t run, so I thought the next best thing would be to cut off all my hair. MS has made my hair really thin and lifeless: I just don’t have the energy to take care of it. Sometimes it’s a task in itself to get in the shower.

“I want to raise awareness of what MS is and how it can affect you. People can see you every day, dropping your kid off at school, picking them up, and they can look at you and think there’s nothing wrong with you. This is a good opportunity for me to say that there are hidden symptoms that we might not show the world. You might see me and not know that I’ve not managed to shower for two days because of fatigue, or if I do the school-run and can’t do anything else for the rest of the morning.”