Te Puke High School's female students to Shave for a Cure

Te Puke High School students, from left, Sophie Sullivan, Shontel Oxenham, Ciara Sunnex, Aneiah Schuler and Janine Atz are all losing their locks for Shave for a Cure.

Their long locks are to become short back and sides.

Five female students from Te Puke High School will be shorn tomorrow.

Each has their own particular reason, but all are backing Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand's Shave for a Cure.

In an act of solidarity, the clippers will buzz on all five heads of hair at the same time.

With the most to loose, Ciara Sunnex - whose hair is around 70cm in length - says she is happy to do something that other people will benefit from.

''It's quite a selfless thing to do, something like that for someone else, and it's also doing something that's drastic and that makes quite a statement,'' she says.

''It's been weird looking in the mirror and trying to visualise myself with short hair.''

Three of Aneiah Schuler's grandfathers and step grandfathers have died of cancer, and that has been enough to motivate her to take part, but up until now the brakes have been put on her plan.

''I've wanted to do it for the last three years, but my mum was against. But I just kept insisting and finally she has let me do it.''

Swiss exchange student Janine Atz will be returning home in July with a very different hair cut.

''I've always wanted to try a shorter style, but I've never really been brave enough. Now I have a good reason - it's for a good cause so I'm going for it.''

It won't be a total surprise for her family back home who are ''OK with it''.

Year 10 student Sophie Sullivan thought about taking part in Shave for a Cure last year, as she wanted to pay tribute to one of her friends who had died from cancer, but didn't manage it, so is making up for that in 2019.

Shontel Oxenham of year 11 says it has been a personal goal to raise money for such a good cause. She admits, though, that there is plenty of trepidation at the prospect of such a drastic change.

School guidance and support counsellor Mark Bramley says the students are sacrificing a lot and he hopes plenty of their school mates will cough up the gold coin donation being asked for to see the head shave.

Money collected on the door will be added to the more than $3000 the five students are expecting to raise through sponsorship.

The head shave takes place during the school's lunch break tomorrow.

Mark says he would like to grow the event and involve local businesses in the future.