By Alesha Capone
Point Cook’s Phebe Yeo has cut off and donated her long hair to a charitable program that makes wigs for young people with medical conditions such as cancer and alopecia.
Ms Yeo said she was inspired to donate her locks to Hair with Heart, which is run by Variety – the Children’s Charity, after her friend Florence did so.
Ms Yeo said that after she commented upon Florence’s “lovely” long hair in April last year, her friend mentioned she and her daughter were both growing out their tresses to donate to Hair with Heart.
Prerequisites for the hair donated to the program include that it has never been dyed or permed and must measure at least 36 centimetres in length.
Upon deciding to grow her hair, Ms Yeo said did not realise it would take her 18 months to achieve the required length.
“I didn’t have the courage to cut my hair very short, I’m already past 50,” Ms Yeo said.
She said she has only had short hair twice before, first at around age 13 and then at 26 while she was pregnant.
“Pretty much my whole life I have had long hair, but I thought, why not do something nice for someone else?” Ms Yeo said.
She said that her daughters helped her to plait her hair before she had it cut off.
“I think I was very calm, hearing the scissors snipping so near to my ears was the only part where I went, ‘Oh my’,” she said.
Ms Yeo said she would like to create awareness of the Hair with Heart program.
“If I can encourage someone to donate, that would be good,” she said.
Details: hairwithheart.variety.org.au/
