Te Awamutu woman cuts off 50cm of her hair for cancer organisation

Megan Foulke's says her long hair was like her security blanket. Photo / Supplied

A Te Awamutu woman who considered her long hair to be her "security blanket" has recently just cut a massive 50cm off to raise money for the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Cancer Society.

Megan Foulke's was always planning to cut her hair, however, not quite as short as it was cut, and so she thought why not raise some money for a good cause while she was at it.

"I was expecting it to be cut to just below my shoulders but everyone just said to keep taking the hair tie up," says Megan.

Her new hair sits at her shoulders and it was done at KLB & Hair.

"My hair was like my security blanket, I've never had short hair, so leading up to the day I felt a bit nervous and sick to the stomach."

Megan had her hair cut off at KLB & Hair by owner of the salon Kristy-Leigh Butler. Photo / Supplied.

Raising money and awareness for such a cause is much closer to home for Megan than many would realise.

Unfortunately for some of Megan's family and potentially herself, the risk of getting breast, ovarian or prostate cancer is much higher than average due to the BRCA-1 gene running in the family.

Those with the BRCA-1 gene are 85 per cent more likely to get breast cancer and are 50 per cent more likely to get ovarian cancer compared to average risks.

Megan set up a Givealittle page to raise money and so far $1150 has been donated. The page is still live and will close next month.

Megan's hair has been donated to Freedom Hair, a wig-making business based in Dunedin.

Megan Foulke's had 50cm of her hair cut off and it is going to Freedom Hair to be turned into a wig. Photo / Supplied.

From this donation Megan expects to get around $20 to $30 which will also go towards the donation being given to Waikato/Bay of Plenty Cancer Society.

Megan says that her hair will be one lot of about 20 going into make a single wig and she believes her hair will specifically be used for a children's wig because of how fine her hair is.

"I don't love my new hair, it's going to take some getting used to but I'm glad I did it. I'm really happy with the money and the awareness I've raised," says Megan.