The World's Greatest Shave - 2011
Mary Osborn, from Ultimo Hwarangdo recently took part in The Leukaemia Foundation's World's Greatest Shave to raise awareness and money for blood cancer research. Please read about her experience below.
Congratulations Mary - so brave, but for a great cause!
What is The World's Greatest Shave?
The World’s Greatest Shave is a charity even where people shave off all their hair to raise funds for blood cancer patient care and research.
Why did you do it?
I took part in The Greatest Shave because I recently discovered what a great affect cancer can have on people not only with the disease, but their friends and relatives. One of my relatives will be affected for the rest of his life by cancer, and that personally affected me and I decided I would like to try and help raise awareness and funds for other cancer patients and cancer research.
What is the cause for?
The money I raise is used by the Leukaemia Foundation to fund services to support patients and families living with leukaemias, lymphomas, myeloma and related blood disorders and also funds blood cancer research to find better treatments and cures. My school had five shavers, and all together we raised over five and a half thousand dollars.
How did you feel before it?
At first I didn’t think it would be a big deal, because it’s just hair. But, as I was sitting on a chair in the middle of my school’s quadrangle with most of my school and all of my friends watching me, I could hear the razor buzzing behind me and I was so afraid. It didn’t occur to me that all my hair would be gone until that moment, and I didn’t realise how much I loved my hair!
How did you feel after it?
I was so shocked I didn’t know what to say. People kept asking me, "How does it feel?", "Do you like it?", "Is it cold?", and continue to ask "Can I feel it?" But for quite a while I had no idea how I felt, or if I regretted it, or if I loved it. I felt very elated at the time, because everyone was cheering and people kept saying that I still looked good without hair, which was pretty awsome. I also refused to look in the mirror all afternoon, and when I finally did I screamed at my own reflection.
How did your parents react?
My parents could hardly recognise me, but when they did they couldn’t stop laughing. They were really proud of me for giving up my hair for such a great cause and promoted me to their friends so they would donate too.
What does it feel to be hairless?
The best part about being hairless, is the feeling on my head in the shower. However, I’ve had to change a few things in my life now that I don’t have hair, for instance I can’t wear pants too much, or I look like a man from behind, I moved my alarm back 15 minutes for the time I save by not doing my hair every day, and I always have to carry a beanie, because when it’s cold, it’s REALLY cold.
Would you ever do it again?
I think I would, but I won’t be able to for a while because my hair needs to grow back. I definitely recommend it for anybody who wants to raise money for cancer, because people will pay a lot to see you bald, and it feels great knowing that you helped raise money to help give people a better chance at life.
Please follow the link below to help Mary raise funds to support The Leukaemia Foundation in their research for better treatment and cures and for their support for people affected by one of these blood cancers improve their quality of life.
http://my.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=386490
Congratulations Mary - so brave, but for a great cause!
What is The World's Greatest Shave?
The World’s Greatest Shave is a charity even where people shave off all their hair to raise funds for blood cancer patient care and research.
Why did you do it?
I took part in The Greatest Shave because I recently discovered what a great affect cancer can have on people not only with the disease, but their friends and relatives. One of my relatives will be affected for the rest of his life by cancer, and that personally affected me and I decided I would like to try and help raise awareness and funds for other cancer patients and cancer research.
What is the cause for?
The money I raise is used by the Leukaemia Foundation to fund services to support patients and families living with leukaemias, lymphomas, myeloma and related blood disorders and also funds blood cancer research to find better treatments and cures. My school had five shavers, and all together we raised over five and a half thousand dollars.
How did you feel before it?
At first I didn’t think it would be a big deal, because it’s just hair. But, as I was sitting on a chair in the middle of my school’s quadrangle with most of my school and all of my friends watching me, I could hear the razor buzzing behind me and I was so afraid. It didn’t occur to me that all my hair would be gone until that moment, and I didn’t realise how much I loved my hair!
How did you feel after it?
I was so shocked I didn’t know what to say. People kept asking me, "How does it feel?", "Do you like it?", "Is it cold?", and continue to ask "Can I feel it?" But for quite a while I had no idea how I felt, or if I regretted it, or if I loved it. I felt very elated at the time, because everyone was cheering and people kept saying that I still looked good without hair, which was pretty awsome. I also refused to look in the mirror all afternoon, and when I finally did I screamed at my own reflection.
How did your parents react?
My parents could hardly recognise me, but when they did they couldn’t stop laughing. They were really proud of me for giving up my hair for such a great cause and promoted me to their friends so they would donate too.
What does it feel to be hairless?
The best part about being hairless, is the feeling on my head in the shower. However, I’ve had to change a few things in my life now that I don’t have hair, for instance I can’t wear pants too much, or I look like a man from behind, I moved my alarm back 15 minutes for the time I save by not doing my hair every day, and I always have to carry a beanie, because when it’s cold, it’s REALLY cold.
Would you ever do it again?
I think I would, but I won’t be able to for a while because my hair needs to grow back. I definitely recommend it for anybody who wants to raise money for cancer, because people will pay a lot to see you bald, and it feels great knowing that you helped raise money to help give people a better chance at life.
Please follow the link below to help Mary raise funds to support The Leukaemia Foundation in their research for better treatment and cures and for their support for people affected by one of these blood cancers improve their quality of life.
http://my.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=386490
