In the beginning

“Life was good, life was happy...”

In March 2001, at the age of 46, Glennis, the Charity’s founder (and “one Crazy Lady”), thought her lifetime dream and ambition had been achieved when she secured the headship of a Primary School in Kettering. Yes, life was good, but in June 2001, just 3 months after her promotion Glennis was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Having been told she would need surgery, she was positive she would be able to return to school later in the year, but after a lumpectomy she was told she would need a mastectomy followed by a strong course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy – and she would have to take a year off! It was heartbreaking but there was nothing she could do; she put her entire trust in the many medical professions who were treating her.

A year off! What would she do?

Everyone knew she would need to keep herself busy and even though the challenge of coping with the treatment itself would take up much time Glennis had to get her teeth into something. This came about early in October 2001 when, having been told she would lose her hair because of the type of chemotherapy she was having, she was in Debenhams in Northampton with her best friend Marilyn, trying on hats – many of which were indeed “crazy”.

Glennis has a wicked sense of humour! Trying on one hat in particular she and Marilyn were in hysterics. Glennis turned to Marilyn who said, through her tears “You’re going to do something with this aren’t you?” Glennis’ mind was in a whirl. “Well, if I’ve got to wear one,” she said “so can the children at school. Let’s do a Crazy Hats day in school, like a Mufti Day and raise some funds for the Breast Care Unit….”

With over 85 schools, companies and the entire staff from the Breast Care

Unit at Kettering General Hospital, together with nurses, current and ex-breast cancer patients, a staggering £20,000 was raised!!

And so Crazy Hats was born…