Brave Berrigan students lop it off for cancer

A shaving assembly was held on Friday, where special guest Alicia White, a previous Berrigan resident, shared her own personal battle with Leukaemia.

Classroom teacher and fundraiser organiser Emma Phillips said it was great for the students to hear Alicia’s story, who is now in remission.

“It was beneficial for the students to hear first hand how the funds they have raised will help people with Leukaemia,” she said.

It was then time to start the shaving, with each student bravely losing their locks, assisted by Chantelle Henderson and Stacey Gorman, two mums and hairdressers who donated their time to help with the shave.

Ms Phillips said the shave came about after shave team captain Jack Magill completed a literacy activity about a core memory.

Jack chose to tell the story about his Nan Wendy Henderson and her battle with Leukaemia.

It was then that Ms Phillips suggested they participate in the Worlds Greatest Shave to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation.

After a bit of convincing, year two student Paddy Arnold, the boy with the most magnificent auburn mullet decided to join the team, followed by another four boys.

Then the seventh team member joined, year four student Maddie Kortum who decided to fly the flag for the females and support the cause.

Maddie was a fundraising queen and personally raised over $4000. Maddie's pop had his own Mother pass away from Leukaemia when he was a young boy, which is why Maddie decided to join the team.

The shave, which was live-streamed on Facebook was described by many in the community as a “emotional event”.

Berrigan Public School principal Mrs Dore said the event was “a goosebump moment to see such bravery from a group of students for such a good cause”.

The support has continued beyond the event for the shave team, with students wearing beanies to school and a couple of students even shaving their own heads in solidarity.

Ms Phillips said the amount raised was well above any amount she ever could have imagined for a small regional school.

“As the organising teacher I could not have asked for more from our school and the wider community who supported their students by donating, it truly does show the generosity of country people,” she said.

“It is wonderful for kids from our small rural school to see first hand what a difference they can make in this world.

“I hope that the students will always remember the fabulous result they achieved and that a small school can still have a big impact, which is a great analogy for life.”