Big Chop done: Eight-year-old Chloe Guiney has donated close to 45cm of her hair to help others in need.
In many ways Chloe Guiney is your average eight-year-old. She enjoys playing with her friends, a bit of netball and having some fun, but Chloe is a little different to her Year 2 counterparts.
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Not so long ago, Chloe had hair down to her waist — an effort that took the young Kyabramite eight-and-a-half years in the making.
But staying true to her kind nature, Chloe had a mission to help others — and not only did she donate close to 45cm of her own hair to make a wig for someone who has lost their hair due to a medical condition, she raised a whopping $3261 to help kids living with disability, chronic illness and disadvantage.
Through the Hair with Heart initiative of Variety - the Children’s Charity, Chloe did the ‘Big Chop’ on Saturday, January 8.
For many children and adults, the idea of a drastic haircut can be daunting — but Chloe said her decision was one made with ease.
Rapunzel: Chloe had been growing her hair for her whole life.
“We were visiting to the hospital and I just saw so many people that were sick,” she said.
“I just wanted to help where I could.”
According to Hair with Heart, wigs can costs families up to $6000 and generally only last up to two years.
Chloe’s contribution, among many others, is helping families save tens of thousands of dollars on the purchase of wigs throughout their child’s youth.
Beginning in October, the donations came flooding in from the support of friends, family members and the community, with contributions even coming from businesses and people across the border in NSW.
Chloe’s mum Laressa Guiney said her workplace Aussie Kindies Early Learning Kyabram also assisted Chloe’s endeavours, hosting a week of crazy hair days to help fundraise.
She said families and kids were putting in $2 and $5 and at times even $50, and in total the centre donated $324.60 to the cause.
Community organisations also rallied around, with Fitzgeralds Farm Fresh Meats donating sausages and meat for a barbecue on the night of the Big Chop.
Chloe smashed her goal of raising $2000 and celebrated her first ever big haircut, styled by Nic Saulys, surrounded by family and friends.
She is now sporting a stylish shoulder-length bob, a hairstyle she said was much lighter.
Her parents Laressa and Shane Guiney are beyond proud of Chloe’s achievements and blown away by the support she received.
“Her dad and I are very proud of the achievement of what she’s done, we’re just overwhelmed,” Mrs Guiney said.
“She’s done an amazing job, she’s got such a kind, big heart to do something like this for children in need.”
