Locks get the chop for charity

KATHRYN McCauley could not have been happier to farewell her gorgeous long locks last Friday.

A few snips of the hairdresser’s scissors completed her two-year mission to grow her hair long enough to donate it to someone who needs it more.

Her blonde tresses will help ensure a wig is provided for a child who has lost their hair due to a long-term medical condition such as cancer or alopecia.

The generous Ocean Grove mum has donated her hair three times and this time around gave her ponytail to children’s charity Variety, which runs the Hair with Heart campaign.

“It was the third time I’ve done it over the last 10 years,” Kathryn explained.

“Every time I have intentionally grown my hair for as long as I can put up with it.

“The first time I think it was a Pantene promotion called Beautiful Locks and, when I saw it advertised, I immediately thought ‘why not?’.”

Kathryn, a social media consultant who runs the @a_guide_to_oceangrove Instagram page, said it felt nice to give something of herself to a children’s charity.

Wigs made from real hair can cost up to $6000 and funds raised through Hair with Heart, along with proceeds from the hair donated, support Variety’s grants program which pays for things such as wigs, therapy sessions and camps.

“It really is a gift that money can’t buy,” Kathryn said.

“It’s something special for the children and hopefully it’s a big help to the families because they don’t have to pay thousands of dollars.”

Kathryn said she hoped her story could help create awareness and encourage others to consider making the Variety pledge to “take the chop and change lives”.

The guidelines for hair donation include that the hair has to be at least 35.5cm long, it can’t be dyed or chemically treated and needs to be free of greys.

It was Kathryn’s third and final hair donation so this time around she treated herself to some much-deserved pampering from master colourist Melissa Sanderson at Salon Utopia.

“Over the last 10 years I’ve never dyed my hair,” Kathryn said.

“I actually got it coloured today so it feels great.”

To find out more about Hair with Heart or make a financial donation go to www.hairwithheart.variety.org.au.