Stoke’s Jai Regan is one spunky lady, she’s 68 years old and her crowning glory falls right down her back at 65cm long.
Jai has been growing her hair for two years to get it this long and it’s a beautiful platinum blonde, but on October 18 it will all be gone.
To the horror of some of her friends, and the admiration of others, her tresses will be soon shaved off – for cancer.
The disease first touched Jai’s life when she was 12 and ever since she’s lost friends and family to cancer. She also had a section of skin removed in April after a large spot of melanoma flared up over summer.
“I’ve had a lot of friends die from cancer, I went to a funeral just the other day, but there is some great research and new, effective treatments that need to be available for everyone. I’m doing this for all my friends who didn’t get that chance.”
Jai says she’s been thinking about shaving her hair for cancer for a long time but didn’t tell anyone until a few months ago.
“I was going to do it five years ago but got talked out of it, but this time round I have tremendous support from all of the Stoke Community Centre ladies and everyone is being very generous.”
A hairdresser from Chillies Hair Studio will be doing the honours at 1pm on Tuesday, October 18, and Jai invites everyone to come down to the Stoke Community Centre, at the back of the Stoke Memorial Hall, and watch as her hair falls to the floor.
“I know, on the day, some of the ladies will cry, but others are really excited and have said I needed to cut it shorter anyway. As for me, I’m just pleased to do it and I just want to raise some money to help all these poor people who are fighting cancer.”
After being shaved off, Jai’s hair is going down to Freedom Wigs in Dunedin to be made into wigs for children who have lost their hair to cancer.
If you would like to donate to Jai’s Shave for a Cure, give her a call on 548 1718.
