Nairn photographer set to shave off beard for the first time in 50 years in fundraising bid after cancer diagnosis
A Nairn stalwart is preparing to ‘brave the shave’ this weekend in a fundraising bid to support a local cancer charity.
Photographer Marc Marnie, who describes himself as a “lifelong beardyman”, is running a fundraiser for Maggie's Highlands culminating in a "Great Depilation" at the Bandstand on Sunday evening.
After having been recently diagnosed with tonsil cancer and told he would have to get rid of his beard for treatment purposes, he decided he'd use the occasion to support the charity, with £1700 raised in less than a week.
“When I was told ‘the beard has to go’, that was the single scariest thing of all! I haven’t seen my face since I was 17.
“Then I thought - could do something with this. After I shared the news of my diagnosis, seeing all those people saying ‘what can I do to help?’, made me think that if everyone donated even just £1, a lot of money could be raised for a good cause.”
He then set up a fundraiser on Just Giving which raised £500 overnight - and now keeps on growing.
Marc, now in his sixties, has a history of embracing his fear, from taking pictures hanging from the top of the Foth Bridge despite being scared of heights, to scuba diving with sharks whilst barely knowing how to swim.
“Saying yes is the first stage,” he said when asked about facing the fear of what lies ahead.
“Once you said yes to something, a lot of the fear dissipates once you have made that decision. And I decided a long time ago that I would say yes to new experiences as much as I can. Within the boundaries of sanity.
“You don’t have a choice when you are told to have cancer - I think that with this, it feels like I said yes somewhere along those lines.
“I think that with this, I am paddling in shallow water and it will get a lot deeper.
“The brutal fact is that I know I may not survive it, although I expect to. It’s going to be hell and I can’t wait to get started.
“Gotta do it anyway, might as well make it positive. As I always say, if it’s not fun, I am doing it wrong.”
Anyone wishing to support Mark’s fundraiser can do so via his Just Giving page.
The Great Depilation will take place at The Bandstand pub in Nairn on Sunday (November 10) at 7pm.
