Eight year old Christian McPhilamy spent more than two years growing his hair just so he could cut it all off and donate it to children who had lost their hair.
Christian started his journey back in December 2012 when the then six year old saw a tv advertisement for St Jude’s Children Research Hospital which showed young children with cancer who had lost their hair. Wanting to learn more, Christian and his Mum – Deanna Thomas, used their iPad to search for St Jude’s and learn more about the hospital and what they do. When an online advertisement for a hair donation charity popped up on the screen, Christian asked his Mum what is was and what they did. Deanna explained how there are some generous people in the world who grow their hair for the sole purpose of cutting it to donate to people who have lost their hair due to their cancer treatment and she was blown away when Christian asked if he could do it too. Deanna says “I was blown away… usually when Christian sets his mind to something, he pretty much goes with it. He doesn’t let anything falter his goals. I was pretty confident that he was actually going to follow through with it.”
At the time Christian’s hair was quite short and spiky, so it was a long journey to grow it long enough to be able to donate. What Christian and his Mum didn’t expect was the comments and taunts he experienced along the way with his Mum explaining “Even out and about or at a park, he would be playing with a bunch of boys and they’d be like, ‘You look like a girl’ And he would just explain to them. He held his head high and never once said that he wanted to cut it off ever.” However when Christian and his Mother explained why his hair was so long, people were impressed by his dedication and generous spirit and would immediately apologise, such as the man who bluntly told Christian his hair was “getting too long” and that he “needed to do something about it.”
During the journey Deanna would make sure she continued to encourage Christian and not let him get discouraged by the negative comments from strangers.
After two years of growing his hair to a length which reached halfway down his back, last Wednesday Christian and his family came together for the big haircut. After partitioning his hair into pony tails, Deanna cut four 10 inch long sections of hair which they then sent to a charity which provides free wigs to children who have lost their hair.
Deanna describes the experience of cutting Christian’s hair as “My hands were shaking. My heart felt like it was going to explode… it was just incredible.”
