Melesha Courtney feels brand new.
The 18-year-old Rotorua resident shaved for a cure yesterday at Farmers where she works.
While she was nervous before the shave, afterwards she said she felt like a new person.
Shave for a Cure raises funds for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand.
Courtney said she first considered the shave last year when colleagues took part in the fundraiser.
"I thought it was a cool and it goes to a good cause," she said.
So this year Courtney told her colleague that if he raised more than $380 she would shave her hair.
"Of course he did and now I'm here holding my hair," she said.
"I don't really have a sob story but it really is a good cause."
Courtney raised about $200, including $50 donated on the day. She was one of three who had their heads shaved by Toi Ohomai hairdressing students.
Lily Cameron, 17, said having her head shaved wasn't a difficult decision to make.
"Everyone has family members who have had cancer," she said.
"Last year a group of girls at my school did it and this year I thought I would."
Cameron aimed to raise $500 but smashed her goal out of the park by raising more than $1200 and counting.
"It's always good to be able to give something to a cause that needs money and if you can be charitable then why don't you?"
Seventeen Farmers stores around the country are running Shave for a Cure events.
This is the second year the shave has run at the Rotorua store. Last year it raised $5211 towards the New Zealand total of $178,958.
The money helps Leukaemia and Blood Cancer NZ pay for patient support, research, information and advocacy. It gets no government funding.
To register to shave for a cure visit shaveforacure.co.nz or contact 0800 15 10 15. Those who don't want to shave their heads can still show their support by donating.
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