Ten Garin College students won’t need to spend a cent on haircare products these school holidays after braving the clippers on Friday to brush up $6800 for blood cancer.
Tony Etchells co-organised Shave for a Cure at the kura along with Markelle Ward and its justice and ministry team, and says the cause to fund life-saving research and care for Kiwis affected by blood cancer has become a locked tradition.
Not only do the students cut a dashing figure with their new appearance, Tony says the initiative also falls naturally with the Catholic’s solidarity character.
“Aside from it being an amazing cause and a really powerful fundraiser for blood cancer… shaving your head is a real act of solidarity, it’s a real act of brotherhood and sisterhood,” he says. “You might feel cold, and you might be quite surprised by what you look like, but when I look around the room, I just really admire the quiet commitment.
“There was a lot of joking, a lot of excitement and a pronounced feeling of comradeship… and they’ve become a kind of fellowship of people who were about to make this sacrifice.”
Connor Hunter and Kyle Crittenden from Stormys Barbershop in Nelson sheared the hair of Nick Boonyakitjakarn, Marco Capstick, Jayden Dcosta Fernandes, Noah Johnson, Caleb Newton, Eli Newton, Zachary O’Sullivan, Aden Payton and Emily Woodbridge, while Genevieve McGill opted to take hers to shoulder-length, donating the length of her ponytail for a wig.
