Bethlehem's BestStart Montessori teacher Denise Brown shaved her head to show love and solidarity for her colleague Bobby Mehalski, who has cancer. Photo / Andrew Warner
Bethlehem's BestStart Montessori teacher Denise Brown shaved her head to show love and solidarity for her colleague Bobby Mehalski, who has cancer. Photo / Andrew Warner
As the sun shone down on a Bethlehem childcare centre yesterday afternoon, staff, children and parents gathered under the shade to watch teacher Denise Brown shave her head in honour of fellow teacher Bobby Mehalski.
As the children from Bethlehem's BestStart Montessori sat around Brown's stool, a few tried collectingwisps of hair to offer back to her as they blew away on the wind.
"I don't need it back," she said laughing.
Brown said afterwards she was keen to do it as she had "a number of family" who have had cancer.
"Then we found out [about Bobby] so I decided to do it for her instead - and we've raised nearly $1000, so I'm really happy with that."
Bobby, who had taught at the Montessori for six years, was diagnosed with lung cancer in December last year.
Bethlehem's BestStart Montessori teacher Denise Brown shaved her head to show love and solidarity for her colleague Bobby Mehalski, who has cancer. Photo / Andrew Warner
The idea originally started as a fundraiser for Shave For A Cure, Brown said, but after Bobby was diagnosed, Brown decided it would be a better opportunity to show Bobby's family how much she was loved.
It meant "all the world" to be shaving her head in Bobby's honour, she said.
"She's always been special to us, and to the parents and the children ... she's always had a passion for the children and had a connection with them."
Bobby's son Matt Mehalski said his mum "loved" the Montessori and being around the children.
"This place kept her alive ... it kept that sparkle in her," he said.
Mehalski said Bobby realised something was wrong when she began having chest pains.
"She thought she was having heart problems, so they sent her for a CT scan," he said.
It took a few more scans to realise the full extent of the cancer in her lungs. She was now "immobile" after the cancer spread to her hip and thigh, he said.
"She's pretty much bed-ridden, it was very, very quick."
Bobby was now in hospice palliative care, Mehalski said, so wasn't able to be with them to watch Brown have her head shaved or speak to the Bay of Plenty Times.
However, her son said he was "amazed" to find out about the event, having been at work when he was told by his brother that it was happening.
"I think it's great what they've done."
Centre manager Louise Holmes said the event went "really well" and pleased to see so many parents turn out to support Bobby.
"It was really good ... people offered their support when they dropped off their kids this morning as well."
They had set up a Givealittle page as well for donations, she said.
Holmes had asked that all the children be dressed in purple or lilac yesterday, as it was the colour of support for all cancers.
Before Brown had her head shaved by local hairdresser Abbie Gore, the teachers went around and sprayed the children's' hair purple as well.
Holmes said, while they going to show her a recording of the event later, Bobby would have been "moved" to be there.
"I don't think she truly realised how many lives she's touched. We have children start here at six months, and they're here until they're 6 [years] - and she's followed them all the way through."
"Respect and kindness" were two of their values, and this event was simply another way of showing the children how to share those values, she said.
"If everyone looks after everyone, it's amazing what you can get when you pull together."
As the last locks were shaved, Brown looked around at the children beside her and asked "do I still look pretty?', to which they collectively exclaimed "yes".
