Baker bares all for charity cash
Claire’s calendar fundraiser to help hospital
The April entry for Claire’s charity calendar Picture by Graeme Webb shows off her scar Claire Claire bares all to raise funds Picture by Graeme Webb A Perthshire woman is raising some much-needed charity cash - by baring all for the camera.
Claire Devlin (41) got her kit off to make a tasteful ‘Calendar Girls’ style project, all to raise money for a cause she feels passionately about.
Claire, who works as a baker at the Sugar and Spice bakery in Auchterarder, had to have her jaw completely replaced four years ago.
She has now been working hard to create the charity calendar, and has already raised an impressive £1000 for the oral and maxillofacial department at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.
Claire explained: “I have had jaw issues for the last 12 years and had various minor operations.
“It was decided to replace the jaw completely in February 2014 and that became infected.
“I got haematoma and bugs stuck to the metal and they had to take it out.
“Initially they said that would be for six weeks, but it turned out it was nearly a year without a jaw joint.”
Claire needed to put spacers and tie up wires in her mouth every morning while she didn’t have a jaw joint, because her body would automatically try to fill the spaces that were left.
She continued: “The metal bars in my teeth were to hold my face straight - I had to line my face up each day with bands to keep the joint spaces there.
“I got a replacement in September 2017 but unfortunately I got a fungal infection not long after it got put in.
“They really wanted to save the joints so I was in hospital with quadruple IV antibiotics for six weeks and then three hours every day for double antibiotics at the local hospital - but touch wood, that seems to have done the trick.”
Because the nurses and doctors have worked so hard to look after Claire, she was determined to do her bit to give back in some way.
She explained: “It’s been over a year now since all that and I thought they have been amazing with me, absolutely fantastic.
“I wanted to give something back by raising money.
“I couldn’t do anything dangerous with my jaw so my friend suggested a calendar.
“All the photos were taken in August and I have already raised £1000 - I can’t believe it!
“It was initially meant to be featuring a few people, but it’s ended out just being me - but you can’t see my face in it so you would not know it was me.
“I am in shock to think I have done it. This is something you do when you are 21, not 41.
“My surgeon is over the moon Claire Devlin in hospital with this, she said in her whole career she has never seen anything like this.
“I was really nervous in the run up to doing it because it is out of my comfort zone.
“It was my worst nightmare, but once I got going it was okay.
“The photographer was a friend I have known since I was very little and my husband was there almost like the director so although I was really nervous I got through it.”
The calendars can now be purchased for £5 directly from Claire on 01764 661100 or w7rty@ yahoo.co.uk
They can also be bought from the Sugar and Spice bakery in Auchterarder, which she and her husband own.
●Donations without buying a calendar can also be sent to Claire’s JustGiving page, www. justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ claire-devlin
I was really nervous in the run up to doing it because I was not in my comfort zone