Nine-year-old Brydee Clark had a surprise up her sleeve when she had her hair cut last week - she wanted to donate her hair to make wigs for cancer patients.
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“One of my friends that used to live in Gooloogong did it, and then I just thought of it.”
Brydee’s Mum Karen didn’t even know about Brydee’s plans for her hair, but is proud of her daughter for her thought filled gesture.
“She only knew I was going to get it cut up to about my chest,” Brydee said.
Brydee’s friend Keely from Gooloogong had donated her own hair, which inspired the St Mary’s student to donate her own.
Brydee had been growing her hair since she was younger and had kept it long for ballet.
“She was a bit indecisive, but then once we measured it and said, ‘oh you know, you could do that,’ so that’s how it all came about,” local hairdresser Bec Schulz said.
“I’ve done it once before, for another little girl.
“If they’re going to donate their hair I think it’s really good, so I don’t charge them for the haircut,” Mrs Schulz said.
“It’s a good cause, they do a good job.”
On average it takes between 10 to 15 ponytails to make one wig for a cancer patient.
“So many kids have got long hair and it takes a ridiculous amount of donations to make one wig,” Mrs Schulz said.
Hair to be donated needs to be 35 cm in length to create wigs, the reason for this is so that the hair can be processed by the machinery.
“They have to have quite a bit of length. Before they have it cut it has to be freshly washed and dried,” Mrs Schulz said.
Slightly shorter hair is ok to donate, but the longer the donated hair, the better.
Anyone that wants to donate hair can do so at any hairdresser, they simply tell the hairdresser they want to donate your hair and secure it in a ponytail and cut above the hair tye. Then find which organisation you want to donate the hair to and follow the appropriate instructions.
“All those kids out there with fresh new year hair cuts for school should think about it, it’s a good cause,” Mrs Schulz said.