Shropshire hair salon to hold fundraising day for toddler who needs to find stem cell donor

On Sunday, May 16, B.E Ironbridge will open its doors for a fundraising day for eighteen-month-old Gunner Lewis-Vale, who in March was diagnosed with a rare mucopolysaccharide disease, MPS Type 1 Hurler.

This means his body cannot convert sugar into necessary protein in the body.

Gunner’s doctors have said his best chance of survival is with a stem cell transplant before his second birthday but there is currently no match for him on the UK stem cell register.

So his family have launched ‘Gunner’s Goal’, a fundraising appeal to help Anthony Nolan send thousands of swab packs to people who have applied to join the stem cell register.

Salon owner Brooke Evans, of B.E. Ironbridge, decided she wanted to help boost the fundraiser.

The salon will be open from 10am to 3.30pm on Sunday offering haircuts and blow-dries, with proceeds going directly to Gunner’s Go Fund Me page, as well as half the price of all product purchases made being donated too.

Salon owner Brooke Evans said: "The community here is so strong, and supportive.

"They’ve looked after me since I opened the salon and through all the hurdles we’ve faced.

"So, when I saw the urgent campaign for help for Gunner, I had to do something."

If you’d like to book in for a fundraising appointment, please call the salon and request The Day For Gunner.

Alternatively, donations can be directly made to Gunner’s Go Fund Me at www.gofundme.com/gunnersgoal.