Mary Flynn from Drumkeerin, Co Leitrim is a mother of 10 children and grandmother to 22. She has been through several health crises in her life including two kidney transplants, colon cancer, two gall bladder surgeries, open heart surgery and a surgery to insert a pacemaker. She has been a patient in Beaumont Hospital throughout and decided to do something to say thanks.

When her plan to do a tandem parachute jump was not allowed because she was too old (!), she decided instead to have her head shaved.

The photos below show the before and after Mary, and she combined the spectacle of her head shave at an event in the local Mayflower community centre to which all the town turned out to support.

Mary's efforts raised over €5,000 which will be split three ways between the Transplant Unit, Oncology and for the IKA hostel on the Beaumont Hospital campus.

In addition, Mary lost 7.5 stone this year to become a fitter and healthier person and she is picture here with her trainer, Melanie, from Slimming World in Drumshambo and her daughter, Orla, who is a nurse in Beaumont Hospital.