Dunedin shaves for young mother with leukaemia

NEWS RELEASE
7 September 2009

Dunedin shaves for young mother with leukaemia

Shave for a Cure
Date: 09 September 2009
Time: 12.00 pm
NEW LOCATION: Wall Street Mall on George Street

On 9 September, Dunedin resident, Jane Robinson, will shave her head in solidarity with her friend Hayley who was diagnosed with leukaemia shortly after giving birth to her first child.

Jane’s Shave for a Cure event will take place in Dunedin’s Wall Street Mall at 12.00 pm to raise funds for the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation (LBF). She will be joined by Just Cuts hair salon, who volunteered their time. Jane and twelve other shavees invite shoppers to stop by and shave their hair and donate to their fundraiser.

Jane, a 25-year old mother of two, is raising funds to honour her friend Hayley who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) when a routine blood test before her c-section came back with abnormal results.

After giving birth, Hayley underwent a bone marrow biopsy and was diagnosed with leukaemia. Hayley was started on medication straight away and was only allowed to breast-feed her baby for a few weeks before she started chemotherapy.
Jane says: “I feel helpless not being able to do anything to help my friend in her particular situation, and the terrible thing about cancer is that it’s out of our control. I wanted to Shave for a Cure so that even though I can’t help my friend directly, I can help patients like Hayley and their families.

“If the money that is raised can help with the difficulties that cancer patients face, then I’m happy to do it. I also want to support Hayley, and since she lost her hair... I thought it would be nice for her to have some "bald buddies" that can relate to that.”

Jane is currently completing her last semester of her Bachelor of Biomedical Science, majoring in Human Reproduction and Development at Otago University and is due to graduate in December this year.

“To me, losing my hair is a small thing compared to what a cancer patient has to suffer through. I never really understood how bad it was until someone close to me had to go through it.”
Shave for a Cure is the LBF’s main source of income. The LBF is raising funds for the 10,000 New Zealanders currently living with leukaemia or other blood conditions.

Pru Etcheverry, the LBF Executive Director said: “It’s people like Jane who are an inspiration to all of us. It is due to her generous spirit and kindness toward her friend and others that we are able to continue to provide the support to patients and families living with blood cancers and conditions.

“We are thankful to the Dunedin community for all the support they have provided over the years. It is due to similar support that we were able to open a South Island office to provide services to South Island patients and families.”

More information about Shave 09 can be found on www.shaveforacure.co.nz. Visit www.shaveforacure.co.nz to find out more and register.

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