“I’ve always wanted to do it,“ said Gympie woman Toria Strang. “Now is the time.“
Ms Strang is getting ready to lop her locks as part of the World’s Greatest Shave – one of the major fundraising initiatives of the Leukaemia Foundation.
“My best friend’s mother died of a blood cancer, so now is the time,“ she said.
A large portion of the funds raised by the World’s Greatest Shave goes towards subsidising accommodation and transport costs not just for patients undergoing treatment, but for their families as well.
It’s this particular aspect of the fundraising that Ms Strang really associates with.
“I had a major accident about four and a half years back and I spent three months in hospital.
“You’re stuck in for so long and family and friends can’t visit you – it was tough,“ she said.
She said being separated from her family, when she needed them the most, was the hardest part about the recovery process and if she can help spare someone else that hardship, it would make it all worthwhile for her.
The newly single mum of three isn’t planning on doing her shave by half measures either.
“I’m going number 0 (no clipper guard). You can’t get that full effect until you go bald,“ she said.
Ms Strang has a modest target of $1000 which she is hoping to exceed by the time she shaves on Saturday, 13 March and 10.30am.
The shave event will be at Streetwise Hair at 20 Mary Street, where her hairdresser friend, Meredith Vincent, will donate her expertise to shave her head for her.
Ms Strang has created a fundraising page via Facebook or you can donate by heading to the Leukaemia Foundation’s website at
leukaemiafoundation.org.au.
Mrs Vincent is also taking cash donations at Streetwise Hair.
“I always wanted to shave my head and now I get to do it for a good cause. It’s only hair,“ Ms Strang said.
