FORTY-two year old Tracey Bowker's pride and joy is her luxuriant shiny black hair but she is planning to have it all chopped off to raise awareness for a charity which funds research into infant deaths.

Eight years after her son Daniel's sudden death at the age of six weeks, Tracey and her husband Lewis are still devastated by the loss of their longed-for first baby.

“He was a picture of health, he was a healthy birth weight, he was gorgeous,” his mum remembers. “One night my husband looked in his cot and noticed he was having problems to breathe, he woke me up, I gave him the kiss of life but I couldn't save him. The doctors said it was sudden infant death syndrome. He was 42 days old. ”

The Bowkers now have a bright and beautiful seven year old daughter Katrina but Daniel will always be a central part of their lives.

In an effort to support other parents who find themselves in the same tragic situation the couple do everything they can to raise money for the Foundation which funds research into the causes for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and also for the CONY Scheme which was set up to support the bereaved parents and any other children in the family.

The plucky mum says: “Having my head shaved is my first solo effort. Previously I've always fund-raised for the Foundation as part of a group. This time I'm doing it on my own to raise awareness about the work of the charity as much as to raise funds”

Tracey was born and bred in Bucks but now lives with her family in Berkshire where she is a chef in a care home.

She is being championed in her endeavour in her home village of Chalfont St Giles by her former Chesham High School friend Alison Mayes.

“We've been as close as sisters for 25 years,” says Alison. “She's always had this amazing head of lovely thick hair but she's determined to have it shaved off to draw attention to the cause she has dedicated her life to helping.”

Alison's mobile hairdresser Carol has been booked to turn up with her clippers at her client's home in Stylecroft Road, Chalfont St Giles tomorrow.

“I'm going to wear a selection of colourful scarves to cover my head while my hair grows back,” says Tracey. “I hope lots of people will ask me about my headgear to give me the chance to tell them what motivated me.”