Twin sisters shave hair after one is diagnosed with cancer

Twin sisters Joella (left) and Joanna Lee-Lo. Joanna has been diagnosed with cancer. Photo / Facebook

Right from the beginning, they were together.

So when twin sisters Joella and Joanna Lee-Lo, 25, got the devastating news one of them had cancer, there was no way the other one was going to let her sibling go through it alone.

On April 3, days after the country went into Covid-19 lockdown, Joanna Lee-Lo was at the emergency department at Middlemore Hospital after continuous complaints of a sore back.

Three days later, she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia -cancer of the blood and bone marrow that affects white blood cells.

Her twin, Joella, told the Herald of the moment she heard the diagnosis via telephone.

"I was at home with my two younger brothers and my older brother went with my mum to the hospital.

"I asked him to put the phone on so I can hear and as soon as I heard that word, I couldn't stop shaking. I was an emotional wreck.

"It was good my brother went as my mum fainted."

Within days of going to the hospital, Joanna was transferred to Auckland City Hospital to start chemotherapy treatments.

Twin sisters Joella (left) and Joanna Lee-Lo, 25, have always done everything together. Photo / Supplied

Because of lockdown restrictions now in place, no one could be there for her as she underwent her first round of treatment.

"It was such a hard time for our family and especially me. Being a twin, when one is sick, we're both sick.

"I said to her the other day: 'Your good and bad days, are my good and bad days."

Joanna has since been allowed to go back home some days, but was taken to hospital again last night due to dehydration.

The family has applied to Housing New Zealand for a home transfer as their current home in Māngere - which has a steep flight of stairs inside - will be unsuitable for Joella over the next nine months she will have chemotherapy treatment.

'I couldn't let her go through it alone'

Late last week, Joanna decided to shave her hair off as it slowly started to fall out.

"I couldn't let her go through with it alone.

"She said to me: 'Are you dumb?' But I told her: 'We've done everything together. Hair is hair - it's nothing'," Joella said.

"I couldn't let her go through with it alone. We're going to fight this battle together."

In a poignant video shared on Facebook, the two young women are seen sitting next to each other in the living room; as family members approach, one by one, to cut a piece of hair.

Twin sisters Joella (left) and Joanna Lee-Lo. Joanna has been diagnosed with cancer. Photo / Facebook

Their grandmother approaches first and, taking Joanna's face in one of her hands, gives her a kiss before moving on to her other granddaughter.

Holding a pair of scissors in one hand and Joanna's long black hair in the other, the old woman is overcome with emotion and begins to cry.

As each family member - including their mother, who simply cannot bring herself to cut Joanna's hair - approaches, there are tears and the twins can be seen holding each other's hand tightly.

'Messages from around the world'

One of their older brothers quietly cuts Joanna's hair before he reaches over to hold his sister for a few seconds - all three siblings now in tears in that moment.

As the sisters become balder and balder, tears turn into laughter at times as they take in each other's new looks.

When the work is finally done, the sisters melt into each other's arms for a long, tearful hug.

As of early this afternoon, the video has attracted nearly 790,000 likes and 456,000 shares on Facebook.

It has also attracted tens of thousands of comments from people around New Zealand and the world; praising the twins' bravery and giving well wishes to Joanna.

Many said they were in tears watching the video.

"God bless you, Joanna, and your beautiful family."