Charliemay's charity hair chop takes place this weekend
An big hearted eight year old from north Westmeath is getting her beautiful long hair chopped this weekend for two very worthwhile causes.
This Saturday evening, Charliemay Walsh-Gardiner from Drumcree is getting her luscious locks cut at a special event at Bartley's Bar in her home village.
A second class student in St Tola's NS, Delvin, Charliemay will not only raise funds for LauraLynn, Ireland's children's hospice, her hair will also be used by the Rapunzel Foundation to make wigs for children who have lost their hair through medical treatments, such as chemotherapy, or illnesses, like alopecia.
Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, mother Caroline Walsh said that when Charliemay told her that she had “had enough” of having very long hair, she explained to her daughter about the good work that LauraLynn and the Rapunzel Foundation do for children all over Ireland.
“She lost her nanny (Patricia Gardiner) to cancer last year and she really wanted to give back and was delighted to do it. She would have seen her nanny without hair and understands that this is for children who have lost their hair.”
Charliemay isn't the first member of her family to get her hair chopped for a good cause. In 2007, mum Caroline did a sponsored head shave and raised €11,500 for Crumlin Children's Hospital.
Caroline says that while Charliemay is looking forward to having shorter hair as she leads an active lifestyle and is a big fan of playing camogie and dancing, it is still a “big deal”.
“She was born with a full head of hair and everyone knows her as the girl with long hair.”
Anne McGrath, a hair stylist in the Agnes Burke salon in Mullingar, is going to cut Charliemay's hair at the event. Music on the evening will be provided by Charliemay's proud father Mark Gardiner, who performs under the name Real Steel.
People can make donations to LauraLynn on Caroline's Facebook page, or they can contact Caroline on 0894646480 for a sponsorship card. People can also make donations at the event, which gets underway in the lounge in Bartley's at 6pm on October 1.