Amazing Sydney cycling 150km for Alopecia UK

Following an emergency operation to remove a piece of pen stuck up her nose, the little girl started losing strands of her beautiful locks - and it wasn't down to thinning out.

By the time she was three, Sydney had lost almost all of her eyelashes. Finally, after a routine operation to insert grommets into her ears aged four, Sydney lost most of her knee-length hair.

Sydney has Alopecia Universalis, an autoimmune condition which causes isolated patches of hair loss. It affects around one in a thousand people across the UK. Around half of all cases start in childhood.

Sydney Caraher before she suffered her hair loss

The condition can leave many to feel stigmatised - but not Sydney. Thanks to her own strengths, Sydney is starting to feel comfortable in her own skin, and is taking on a 150km bike ride to raise funds for Alopecia UK - an organisation which has supported Sydney and her family through tough times.

Her route takes her from Upton, along the coastal path to the outskirts of Chester. This journey will be repeated until Sydney covers the distance. Her mission is simple; to ensure no other youngster feels the way she did.

She has already smashed her original target of £150, having raised £664 to date for Alopecia UK.

But the journey has not always been easy, as mum Sarah Caraher explains.

Sarah said: "When Sydney was first diagnosed, we felt like we hit a bit of a wall. We didn't know anyone else going through this, and after speaking to multiple doctors, all they could offer Sydney was counselling.

"As time went by, Sydney was starting to become self-aware. She started noticing how other kids were asking questions, and adults in the streets quickly crossed the road to get away from her.

Sydney during her hair loss stage

"I remember one Christmas, one woman came up to me and asked me, "why have you shaved all her hair off?" When I explained Sydney has alopecia, the woman moved away from us, as though Sydney was infectious.

"I tried to explain that she's not sick, that she's not unwell. She's fine. But people still treated her that way for a while. It wasn't very nice."

All of this started to take a toll on Sydney because there was one point where she threw out her clothes - because her hair loss made me feel like she was not a girl.

Sarah explained: "Sydney went back to school, but she was unhappy. She felt different; teachers called up to say she wasn't happy. Her self-confidence was just so low. There was even one point where Sydney threw out all of her dresses, and she said to me: "I must be a boy. I am not a girl because I don't have hair."

"It wouldn't have bothered us at all if she did want to be a boy, but she thought because she had lost her hair, she couldn't be a girl anymore. That changed when Frozen came out, and she realised, she could, in fact, still be a girl."

While alopecia is not life-threatening, hair loss at a young age can have a profound effect on a young person's well being. Because treatment for alopecia such as wigs is classified as "cosmetic", families and supporters often have to pay up to £1,000 for a personally styled, fitted wig.

However, thanks to the support of organisations around her, Sydney started to come onto her own. As a result, her confidence grew, and her pool of resources to help understand her condition grew also.

Sarah said: "We started to go to support groups in Liverpool. That was the magic moment for Sydney, as she realised she wasn't alone. They took us out on trips to Alton Towers, and she met kids just like her, going through the same thing. For the first time in a long time, she took her hat off her head. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she could just be herself.

Sydney after losing her hair

"We felt included, and we did not feel alone. They sent books to the school, so other children could and learn about Sydney's condition. This helped other children understand her, and thanks to the organisation's support, built her confidence up from the ground."

It was thanks to this support like this that Sydney was able to discover one of her many talents - freestyle dancing. Dancing, as it turns out, is a place where Sydney feels most at home. A champion in her own right, Sydney has been training at ZK Studios in Upton, where she has won various national awards.

For Sarah, one memory stands out more than any other. She said: "We walked inside, and Sydney was feeling self-conscious about her hair. She wouldn't take her hat off, because she was worried about what other people would say. I spoke to Zacc, her leader at the studio, and told him she has alopecia.

"He just knew what to do straight away. Zacc had a hat on. Within seconds, he walked up to her, got to her level, and took his off. He pointed at his head and said, "Syd, look. I haven't got any hair either! If I keep my hat off for the lesson, do you think you can take off yours?"

"His head was shaved, so he did have some hair - but that was enough for Sydney. She took the hat off and joined in with the group. The other kids didn't bat an eyelid, either. A little thing like that made Sydney feel at home."

Sydney wins a trophy for her freestyle dancing. Pictured right, Zacc from ZK Studios, Upton

This is just one of many fundraisers Sydney has held over the years. Nevertheless, Sarah is proud of her daughter's continual tenacity and willingness to help others in her situation.

"She's just like every other 11-year-old. She's witty. She's funny, independent, and she lights up the room. Sydney's got lots of energy and she makes everyone laugh - she's also a deep thinker. She's sensitive, kind, and she never gives up. She's nowhere near as shy as she used to be

"We're extremely grateful to Alopecia UK for all their support. Without them and support from people like them, I don't think Sydney would be who she is today."

Alopecia UK is a national charity supporting families and individuals through hair loss. Their mission is to create a world in which people with alopecia live the life they want with confidence.

They hold volunteer-led support groups across the country for people with alopecia, and they collaborate with medical professionals and the general public to promote positive awareness of the condition.

Amy Johnson, Operations Manager for Alopecia UK, spoke highly of Sydney and her decision to take on the 150km bike ride.

Amy said: "We've been in touch with Sydney since she was four years old when we first met her at our annual Alton Towers event. Since then, she's been a regular attendee at our events and support groups and always brings huge energy and fun.

"We're absolutely delighted that Sydney has fundraised for us once more this year as part of the charity's 15th birthday celebrations this Alopecia Awareness Month."

If you wish to donate to Sydney's 150km bike ride, you can visit her page here.

To learn more about alopecia, visit the charity's website at: www.alopecia.org.uk