A hairdressing salon’s free hair and beauty treatment day has raised more than £600 for specialist equipment for a youngster with an incurable degenerative disease.
Lecturers and students at Bishop Auckland College held the event on Wednesday at the salon at the Woodhouse Lane campus to help the Kyran Richmond appeal.
Kyran, 9, from Chilton, suffers from Juvenile Batten Disease, a rare genetic metabolic neurodegenerative condition which has left him with little vision in one eye and inevitable blindness.
He also suffers from night seizures and will develop epilepsy, lose the ability to walk, talk and eat, before developing dementia and symptoms similar to Parkin-sons. His life expectancy is late teens/early 20s.
Kyran is only the third person in the North East to be diagnosed with the disease and there are only 150 confirmed sufferers in the whole of the UK. Last September family and friends set up a fundraising team to raise awareness and much needed funds for both the charity and Kyran’s ongoing needs.
College hairdressing lecturer Maria Tribley had the idea for the event to help the appeal after seeing a television broadcast about Kyran. More than 100 clients on the day donated cash in lieu of the usual charges for everything from shampoo and sets to mini facials, raising £600.43.
Kyran’s mum Debbie said: “It has been a heartbreaking time for all of the family but the support and kindness of the local community has been overwhelming. A big thank you to Maria Tribley, staff, students and customers from Bishop Auckland College for organising the hair and beauty day and for being so generous with donations”.
The money raised will be used to purchase specialist equipment for Kyran’s new bedroom and will enrich his remaining years.”
Anyone who wishes to donate direct to the appeal can do so by visiting www.kyranrichmondfundraising.co.uk
