A young woman will shave her head and donate her hair to charity in memory of her ‘inseparable’ best friend, Aaliyah Godfrey, who died of a rare bone cancer aged just 20. Mia Sage, 22, from Warwick, will take the plunge on 7 July during Sarcoma Awareness Month, raising money for Sarcoma UK and The Little Princess Trust, which provides natural hair wigs for young cancer patients.
Mia and Aaliyah first crossed paths at primary school in Warwick, but it was not until Year 9 at Myton secondary school that they were placed in the same art class. Within two weeks, a bond formed that would last a lifetime. ‘We just clicked and became inseparable. We were more often at each other’s homes than our own,’ said Mia.
‘Aaliyah was the most loving, thoughtful and creative person I have ever known. She brought so much light into the lives of everyone around her, with her sunshine smile and positive outlook. I feel incredibly lucky to have called her my best friend. My favourite memories are the simple ones, painting together or having picnics in the park.’
A talented artist, Aaliyah completed her A-levels at Myton before studying an art foundation degree in Leamington. In July 2023, she noticed a lump on her thigh. Despite visiting her doctor, a diagnosis took until September, when she was initially told she had DVT, among other things. A biopsy looking for a different type of cancer came back clear, but further tests confirmed she had Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer that mostly affects children, teenagers and young adults.
Both friends had been due to start university in Leeds together, but Aaliyah was forced to defer her place by a year to begin chemotherapy. Mia considered deferring her own place too but Aaliyah would not hear of it. ‘She forbade me from limiting my own education,’ said Mia, who went to Leeds but regularly made three-hour trips back to Warwick to be by her friend’s side.
Throughout her treatment, which also included radiotherapy, Aaliyah remained determined not to let cancer define her life, still going on picnics and outings whenever she could.
Mia added: ‘Aaliyah’s exceptional parents, extended family and neighbour communities, and friends from both school, college and online, all did everything they could to support her. They would bring food while wearing masks so that she didn’t get sick. They would travel from around the country, make phone calls and sit with her on hospital trips and accommodate events for her ease and comfort. We all helped her mental health so much and, without the big family and friend network, she would have had a completely different experience.’
However, Aaliyah confided in Mia that she was terrified. ‘She had a huge feeling of unfairness. She was active, ate well, never smoked, but she was the one who got sick.’
In April 2024, Mia was called home by her parents and told that Aaliyah’s chemotherapy had stopped working. The cancer had spread around her body and was now terminal. ‘I tried to be strong for her but, when I got home, I was completely broken. Until that point, I genuinely thought she’d get better,’ said Mia.
In a characteristic act of selflessness, Aaliyah developed sepsis around exam time but kept it from Mia for a week so as not to disrupt her studies. Experimental chemotherapy was also tried, but without success, and Aaliyah made the decision to stop all treatment. She spent her remaining time at home with her family, including a trip to Disney with her parents, determined to enjoy every moment.
Aaliyah wore a wig, Mia said, because she wanted to ‘feel like her cancer-free self, feel “normal” and the wig helped her do that’. She added: ‘It was awful seeing her suffering and in pain throughout the ten months of treatment and the physical and emotional turmoil she was in.’
Aaliyah died on 23 July 2024. The last time Mia saw her was a couple of days before her death. ‘Usually, I would leave when she fell asleep but this time some weird presence made me stay a bit longer. I held her hand for an hour until her father came in. We silently cried. I then kissed her goodbye and went home.’
Mia sought counselling following her friend’s death. ‘I had never allowed myself to imagine the worst possible outcome.’
She has found that fundraising has become an important part of her grief. ‘I want to honour Aaliyah and make a difference in her name,’ she said. ‘Aaliyah brought into the world: kindness, love, creativity. How she loved so much in her short 20 years – more than some people did in their whole lives. And how, despite her passing, she still lives on in everyone who knew her, that this fundraiser is a small way to remember and celebrate her beautiful life.’
Half of the money raised will go to Sarcoma UK, which is currently funding a pioneering research project at the University of Leeds. Scientists there are developing a new treatment using specially adapted viruses that can seek out and kill cancer cells, while at the same time alerting the body’s own immune system to join the fight. Ewing sarcoma is able to build a kind of protective shield around itself that stops immune cells from reaching it, but the research aims to break down that barrier, leaving the cancer exposed and easier to destroy. The viruses have already been safely tested in other cancers, raising hopes that the treatment could one day move into clinical trials.
Emily Williams, Research Manager at Sarcoma UK, said: ‘Aaliyah’s story is heartbreaking and, sadly, it reflects the reality faced by too many young people with Ewing sarcoma. Current treatments simply do not work for everyone, and when the cancer returns, options are extremely limited. That is exactly why research like the project we are funding at the University of Leeds is so important. It is still early days, but this is precisely the kind of innovative thinking that could one day mean young people like Aaliyah have a real chance of survival. Every donation made in her memory brings us closer to that goal.’
The remaining funds from the head shave will go to The Little Princess Trust, which makes natural hair wigs for young cancer patients, a cause that carries particular resonance given that Aaliyah herself wore a wig during her illness to feel more confident and closer to her old life.
To donate to Mia, go to In Loving Memory of Aaliyah Godfrey: Shaving My Head for Sarcoma UK and The Little Princess Trust – GiveWheel
