My brother Andrew turned 16 this month, and those that know him know he's very protective of his long hair. Andrew has ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Defecit Hyperactivity Disorder), so he sees the world very differently to other people and has a hard time accepting and adjusting to any kind of change, big or small.

This is why Andrew has been growing his hair out since he was 4 or 5 years old. The idea of change makes him quite anxious and he's never wanted to cut it, which is why it reaches down to the top of his thighs. 

However, life has changed a lot for everyone over the last few months. Our whole way of life, the way we interact with eachother. The way we shop, the way we communicate. Life has changed significantly for everyone, and it's harder for some than others. For people on the autistic spectrum like Andrew, the sudden drastic change in routine has been really difficult. For people that suffer from challenges to their mental health, the social isolation can be really damaging. And for the elderly or immunocompromised members of our communities, it's a really scary time full of uncertainty and fear. 

Andrew has decided to cut his hair short, and asked me to make a fundraiser, to try and raise some money for Garden House Hospice. This is a big decision for Andrew and something he has never wanted to do. But, as Andrew said to me; "It's really hard. But something that other people see as a small change could make a really big difference". 

Garden House Hospice Care provides specialist palliative care for patients, families and carers facing life limiting illnesses, to enable them to have the best possible quality of life by providing care and support in the setting of their choice, without discrimination. Garden House cared for our mum, who passed away in July 2019, while she was fighting her battle against cancer, and from the beginning to the end they supported her unconditionally. They helped her with managing her pain and medication, and were the only ones that believed her consistently when she told them there was something wrong. In the months she spent there, she was more herself than she had been for a long time. 

Due to the COVID outbreak, Garden House's charity shops haven't been open and all their fundraising events have been cancelled. In these unprecedented circumstances, they're doing amazing work caring for the people most at risk. We've seen firsthand the good they do. By supporting this fundraiser and Andrew's brave decision, you'll be helping to ensure that Garden House can continue providing the amazing care that they offer, and helping families and individuals in this unpredictable time and in the future. 

(Read and approved by Andrew) 

-Kerren and Andrew