Students and Staff Model New Hairstyles for Charity

Document Type

Media Release

Publication Date

Fall 8-5-2006

Publisher Name

The University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, Leukaemia Foundation, World's Greatest Shave

Publication Place

Fremantle

Abstract

Notre Dame students and staff came together recently to shave, colour (or even wax off!) their hair as a way of raising money for Leukaemia sufferers. The ‘hairy affair’ was part of the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave fundraising event, which 100,000 people across Australia take part in every year.

The Notre Dame component was organised by Health Promotion students, giving them valuable insight into the planning and implementation of fundraising events. Student, Samantha Bushell, said the event was a great way to put the skills they had learnt into practice.

“It also made us realise how challenging it is to organise events like this…such as will anyone turn up? How do we keep people interested and entertained?” she said.

Senior lecturer from the School of Health Sciences, Malcolm Gilbey was one person who provided entertainment, by making the ultimate sacrifice – his beloved beard. And the students were more than happy to liberate him from it.

“Malcolm's beard really did need to go, he’d had it for over 40 years! The fun that he seemed to have being up there and supported by his fellow staff members was fantastic. They clapped and cheered him along until it was all off!” said Samantha.

While the students may love his new look, Malcolm said it was like losing a very old, very comfortable friend. “I am not enjoying having to shave each day. It’s quite painful but I am astonished to say that my wife of 27 years, who had never seen me without a beard or moustache, approves,” he said.

In a gutsy move that brought tears to the eyes in more ways than one, two participants braved the perils of hot wax. According to Health lecturer, Fiona Farringdon, one had both his head shaved and arms waxed because he has 4 healthy children and felt the discomfort he was experiencing was nothing compared to what parents must experience when their child has leukaemia. The other had his legs waxed in honour of his cousin who died from leukaemia.

Amateur waxer Samantha said it was a lengthy process. “The first guy got half his legs waxed while the other male raised another large amount of money by allowing us to wax his arms (which were incredibly hairy) it took us over 45 minutes to get all that hair off. They both looked like they were in a lot of pain.”

“But the event was a huge success. We were so surprised by how many people turned up and supported the Leukaemia Foundation. All of the money that we have raised goes towards transport, accommodation and counselling for people suffering from leukaemia, lymphomas, myelomas and other blood related disorders, and also supports their families,” she said.

Media Contact:
Michelle Ebbs
08 9433 0610, 0408 959 138

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