A Hanmer youth is familiar with the toll fighting cancer can have on a family.
Serenity, who is 12 years old, has watched her grandmother fight and win against breast cancer. Her grandmother is now fighting ovarian cancer.
“My [Grandma] GG has been fighting cancer for eight years,” says Serenity.“I wanted to donate my hair to all the people out there with cancer.”
The tween has long blonde hair. Last week, she decided to donate eight inches of that hair and to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society in honour of her grandmother. She set a fundraising goal of $1,000 and surpassed it.
Serenity’s mother, Shauna Sawyer, said her daughter woke up one morning with the idea to donate her hair to cancer patients in need, and that she wanted to raise money to help raise awareness.
“Honestly, it brings me to tears,” said Sawyer, who posted a live-video on her Facebook page of Serenity’s hair being cut.
Serenity’s hair is being donated to Pantene Beautiful Lengths through their partnership with the Canadian Cancer Society. Her hair donation will be used to create real-hair wigs to offer to individuals at no cost, to help those living with cancer to regain their confidence and sense of self.
Locally, patients can gain access to these wigs at the Daffodil Terrace Lodge.
To host your own fundraising haircut, visit Cancer.ca/Fundraise or contact your local Canadian Cancer Society office at 705-670-1234.
