You may have noticed that I’m joining in this year with the Leukaemia Foundation’s “WORLD’S GREATEST SHAVE” this year. In fact, my hair has less than 4 weeks to go before it’s shaved off. Why am I doing this? I was going to get involved in it last year but unfortunately life got in the way.
My sister suggested I do it this year and I thought it was a brilliant idea. The point behind the “World’s Greatest Shave” is to raise awareness of Leukaemia, Lymphomas, Myeloma and other blood disorders as well as raise funds to help the Leukaemia Foundation to help support those going through these wretched diseases and their families.
Click the banner to sponsor me in the World’s Greatest Shave!
I’m always a supporter of great causes and this one seemed to fit in well for me right now. I have a liver disease and part of my symptoms is that I overheat quite easily and one of the problems aiding that overheating problem is my hair. I’ve been wearing it short now for just over a year due to the overheating issue. It’s a shame that my hair isn’t longer for the shave but we have to work with what we’ve got.
The most interesting thing that I’ve noted when I mention to people that I’m doing the shave is that they say “Oh, your hair is short though!” Yes, it’s short but let’s just put this in perspective for a moment.
- I’m a woman
- Women are vain about their hair usually
- I don’t have a disease or treatment that could mean the loss of my hair
So, bearing those things in mind, and the fact that I’ve ALWAYS been very vain about my hair (for as long as I can remember) and being a woman and not “needing” to shave my hair off – I have the choice here – I figured it’s still a HUGE thing! It should never come down to length!
The World’s Greatest Shave gives us options though, we can shave (clipper) OR colour our hair. The colouring side of things is using coloured hair spray which will wash out. I could take that option but I have “chosen” to stare my own vanity in the eye and say “right….hair, it’s time to go for a GOOD CAUSE….for people who don’t get the choice!”
The true brave people in this story are the ones facing these diseases, they are my inspiration. Thankfully for technology and advances in medicine more of these brave people survive but sadly too many still die. My hair can suffer for a while out of respect of the true fighters!
Free Hugs in Surfers Paradise
How do the Free Hugs fit into this picture? It’s quite simple really……
I was getting some good, early sponsorship from friends far and wide but like most things, it dipped. I issued a challenge to some of my friends – come up with a dare or challenge that was within the law and pledge an amount, if I did it, they would pay up but if I didn’t succeed, I had to pay their pledged amount up to $100.
The Challenge
One of my dearest friends and the best man at our wedding issued a challenge for me! We named it “Wendishness in Paradise“.
He knew that I love the Free Hugs Campaign and had a t-shirt with “Free Hugs” on it. He’d seen a photo of me being silly with an upturned mop head on my head, wearing his silly hat and my own heart sunglasses. The challenge was laid down – Wear my FREE HUGS t-shirt in Surfers Paradise (Cavill Mall is where it took place mostly), and my mop head, the hat, the sunglasses and get 50 hugs from individuals (group hugs counted as one). If I could do that, he would donate $100, if I failed, I had to pay up instead! We made up a proper wig from two mop heads, I painted my fingernails different colours and wore a pair of brightly coloured pyjama pants with hearts on them too just to really finish the look!
Well, I don’t shy away from a challenge, I never have. Why not embarrass myself in the meantime! The date was set for Saturday 6th Feb, I had my hug crew of my sister (the photographer) and Stueykins who was holding up a sign to let people know what we were doing and why, as well as a donation tin provided by the Leukaemia Foundation on the Gold Coast.
How did it go? Great! We met some absolutely wonderful people on Saturday, locals and visitors alike, people who were working and some really colourful characters. There were hugs with kids, one very special little girl in fact made our day.
An observation that we made though was that we could have tripled our hugs if people weren’t so shy. In this era where people are strangers, it was easy to see many more wanted to jump in but were too afraid for whatever reason. To those who wanted to….we understand – but next time, share the love! We are ALL THE SAME!!
To view the photos from the day – CLICK HERE to go to my Flickr account and to see a montage I put together through OneTrueMedia and then uploaded to Youtube….see below!
