This week students at Taupō-nui-a-Tia College had their heads shaved for charity Shave For A Cure, Lucy McKay (left), Milly Walker, Papillon Poynter, and Daisy Hoe (right). Photo / Rachel Canning
This week students at Taupō-nui-a-Tia College had their heads shaved for charity Shave For A Cure, Lucy McKay (left), Milly Walker, Papillon Poynter, and Daisy Hoe (right). Photo / Rachel Canning
Bye-bye hair. Bye-bye beard.
In three weeks the Taupō-nui-a-Tia College community has raised just over $14,000 for Shave For A Cure, a fundraising event for charity Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand.
The national charity is dedicated to supporting patients and their families living with a blood cancer or a related blood condition.
Organising teacher Hilary Graham said the amount of money raised was phenomenal, and the college had raised the sixth-highest amount for the whole country. She said the event was first promoted three weeks ago and since then $14,083 has been raised by 22 students and one teacher, Wayne Lather.
A mass shave was held at school assembly on Wednesday last week, with David's Excellence in Hair Design local hairdresser Hannah McLean on hand with clippers and scissors. Hilary said three of the students had exceptionally long hair, and this was cut by Hannah for Freedom Wigs, a company that makes wigs for cancer patients who have lost their hair.
"Friends were clipping friends' hair, and it quickly became apparent we needed more hairdressers. Luckily one of the mums, Sally McHardy, jumped up and helped out."
"People have been so generous. Our school has raised such an incredible amount," said Ms Graham.
Year 9 students Milly Walker, Daisy Hoe, Papillon Poynter and Lucy McKay, all aged 13, talked to the Taupō & Tūrangi Weekender about having their heads shaved and fundraising for the charity.
Milly said shaving her waist-length hair was a way of showing empathy with people who have cancer. She said several of her family members have had cancer.
"People care about their hair very much. I wanted to show that supporting people with cancer was more important than having beautiful long hair."
Millie said the four girls made a pact that if one of them backed out on the day, they would have to dye one eyebrow pink.
Hairdresser Hannah McLean (left) holding Milly Walker's freshly cut ponytail ready to be donated to Freedom Wigs. At front are beanies donated by Make-Give-Live and Taupō Creative Fibres.
Daisy said she took part in Shave For a Cure because she wanted to make someone smile, and to show support for those with cancer. She says her friends and family have been very generous, including two aunties and grandparents from England who made donations.
"Initially my family thought 'oh no she's going to be bald', but then they saw the bigger cause."
Breast cancer runs in Papillon's family, and she said five members of her family have been affected.
"When I showed Mum my shaved head, she was very proud of me and very supportive."
Imagining what kids with cancer have to go through motivated Lucy to fundraise and get her head shaved.
"And they don't have any choice about losing their hair. I wanted to show support for all the kids that go through cancer treatment."
Adding to the fun was physical education teacher Wayne Lather live-streaming his big bushy beard being shaved off while he was up the mountain with an outdoor education class.
Beanies were donated by Taupō Creative Fibres and Make-Give-Live so the newly-shaved heads weren't too cold.
Donations to Shave For A Cure can be made through their website, and navigating to Taupō-nui-a-Tia College at the Leaderboard page www.shaveforacure.co.nz/t/taupo-nui-a-tia-colleges-team.
