A Tauranga salon has a new hairdresser, just 10-years-old, dressed in a bright red panda top, bald skull adorned in coloured jewels. Her speciality is a cut that takes courage to pull off: the total shave off.
Yesterday at Salon One, Fraser Cove, 10-year-old cancer sufferer Avamarie (Avie) Thompson played hairdresser to seven family members, shaving their hair off completely to raise money and awareness for the Child Cancer Foundation.
Lining up for Avie's clippers, set to a ruthless zero, were Avie's mum Desiree George, 27, dad Kyle Thompson, 28, grandmother Shona Bassett, Avie's poppa Peter George, Shona's partner Aaron Samuels, Avie's uncles Cameron and Chad George, and family friend Tait Coe.
"It is a way of showing Avie in a symbolic way that we are all here for her and we care," said grandmother Shona, who had shoulder length brunette curls.
"I am not even worried about my hair, but it will be pretty emotional. Having Avie shave us all, after all she has been through, and all the family behind her, it's a very emotional thing."