FUNDRAISER Katie Packer plucked up the courage to have her head shaved for a cancer charity, not realising that her grandmother would die from the disease two days later.

Sue Packer was only diagnosed with cancer on December 18. Her granddaughter Katie, who was already planning the fundraiser, said this week that, while it was a shock to lose her gran so soon, she had been able to show her that her family were helping to fight cancer.

Miss Packer had her head shaved on Friday at Headways salon, The Bridge, Chippenham, to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

She visited her grandmother on Saturday in Chippenham and was proudly able to show off her new look – not knowing the visit would be their final goodbye.

“She managed to find strength to open her eyes and put her hand over my head.

“She was laughing and smiling and still had it in her,” said Miss Packer, 22, who works as a care assistant, and who recently moved to Lyneham from Chippenham.

“It was a shock that she died so soon, but she was in a lot of pain.

“It was weird as on Saturday she did end up going on morphine and she was with us but she wasn’t, if that makes sense.

“A few things happened and she went downhill and said: ‘How much longer do I have to stay like this?’

“She didn’t want a biopsy but the cancer started behind the heart and we were told it was full blown terminal cancer.”

Mrs Packer had lived in Calne for more than 20 years and had spent the last seven years at Cepen Lodge Care Home in Chippenham. She died, aged 72, on Sunday evening.

“She was kind, caring, loveable and family-orientated and always worrying about other people rather than herself,” added Miss Packer.

“She was quite the charity worker and on Wednesday when she was with us she was really proud that I was doing the head shave.

“I put it on my Facebook and had people messaging saying: ‘I knew her.’ She was really popular.”

Miss Packer initially planned the head shave in memory of her former next-door neighbour on Marshall Street, Chippenham, Jeff Withers, who died from cancer a year ago, as well as to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

“I looked up to Mr Withers like a grandad. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for years,” she said. They had been neighbours for 16 years.

“At the moment I’m £25 from £300 but this time last week I only had £10, so I’m doing really well.”

To donate visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Katie-Packer1.