When your hair is almost long enough to sit on, it’s a big deal to trim an inch or two let alone shave it all off!
However, Claire Purio from Fremantle did just that. She took a number 2 razer to her long red hair at the Mt Claremont Famers Market on March 22, and through this brave gesture of support for her father, who is still grieving the loss of his mother, Claire raised almost $3,500 for cancer research.
Claire’s story into why she is shaving her head is incredibly touching.
She told us: “My grandmother passed away quite suddenly from lung cancer 2 years ago. She had smoked for 40 years so it’s something she should have had regular screenings for and everything, but a month from her hospitalisation with breathing difficulties, she passed away with stage 4 lung cancer.”
Claire’s grandmother lived in the US and there was absolutely nothing they could do to support her. She said, “We all felt pretty helpless.”
That helplessness was Claire’s main motivation for raising funds for the Australian Cancer Research Foundation.
By shaving her head, Claire felt she could show her father that her grandmother’s memory and honour lives on in the funds they raise for research that will bring the cures closer for other cancer patients and their families around the world.
Claire’s grandmother’s memory lives on in Claire and has influenced her life in many different ways.
“My grandma’s death has motivated me on many things over the last few years – I’ve changed my degree, now studying nursing with aspirations to do medicine when I finish; I’m a leader within my student group focusing on student support and most importantly, I am trying to be the kind of person who sees the good in everyone.”
We’d like to thank Claire for her very brave and humbling gesture of support! We’re extremely grateful for her dedication and for being chosen as her charity of choice for this event.
If you would like to find out more about Claire’s please visit her Everyday Hero page here: http://give.everydayhero.com/au/claires-hair
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