Telford couple plan charity after girl's death
A couple whose daughter died from a brain tumour plan to start a charity to provide specialist hair pieces for children who go bald through illness.
Hayley Higginson, who died aged 16, was bullied, according to her parents Andy and Lisa Higginson, from Telford, Shropshire.
She first lost some hair at the age of seven when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour and it never grew back.
Hayley had many hair pieces made before she died in February.
'Lot of difference'
Mrs Higginson said: "By starting this charity it's almost as [if]... she's still here with you when we're carrying on what she's sort of started."
Mr Higginson said there were some "nasty comments" as his daughter became older.
He said: "When it came to secondary school it was meeting new people who didn't know who she was and having to explain why she'd got no hair."
Although she was offered a wig at Birmingham Children's Hospital, Hayley did not need a full head of hair.
Then a Macmillan nurse recommended a specialist clinic in Birmingham.
Mrs Higginson said: "It made a lot of difference to her.
"Her confidence was a lot, lot better as she just felt normal.
"She could style it and you can go swimming in it."
Hayley, who was well for eight years before the tumour returned, helped other teenage girls in hospital who were losing their hair.
Mrs Higginson said: "Hayley would actually go and speak to them and say 'well don't worry about your hair' and say 'look I've got this nice hair'."