On September 21, Madeleine Snook of Narara will celebrate her 29th birthday by shaving off her ankle-length hair.
Snook is working as a professional live art model on the Central Coast and in Sydney after recently returning from the UK where she achieved a Masters in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics from the University of Cambridge (Lucy Cavendish College) in 2022.
“On my 29th birthday, I will be participating in the World’s Greatest Shave in support of the Leukemia Foundation,” she said.
“I am going to be shaving off all of my ankle-length hair to donate for wigs and to raise funds for blood cancer research and support for those affected. “
Snook hopes to outdo the current record for the longest hair donation of 90cm received by Sustainable Salons, the partnered program that collects the hair to make into wigs or hair booms.
“I am going to blow that record out of the water with my 145cm long hair,” she said.
“This is the first time I’ll be participating in the World’s Greatest Shave and I have already fundraised over $1,800.
“I’ve had to move my fundraising milestones twice to accommodate donors’ generosity, so I’ve set the new milestone to a daring $5,000.”
Blood cancer is Australia’s hidden cancer crisis, Snook’s fundraising page says.
“There are 140,000 families facing blood cancer right now, and it takes the lives of 16 Australians every day,” it says.
“These numbers are set to double by 2035 unless we do something about it.
“That’s why I’ve signed up for the World’s Greatest Shave.
“I’m raising funds for the Leukaemia Foundation to give Australians facing blood cancer life-changing practical and emotional support and to fund critical research, bringing us closer to the day when zero lives are lost to blood cancer.
“Your donation means that together we’re working to stop blood cancer in its tracks.
“Any amount – big or small – will make a real, tangible difference.”
Donate to Snook’s fundraising effort at www.worldsgreatestshave.com (search Madeleine Snook).