Shave or Dye challenge - 'We wanted to turn a negative into a positive'
It’s a Monday after school, and brothers Cormac (11) and Eoghan (8) have just come home buzzing after being greeted by classmates as “little rockstars” with hair dyed pink and blue for their final week before summer holidays.
It had been Cormac’s idea after he was captivated when seeing other children with their hair coloured brightly for charity on a television show, explains mum Eimear O’Connor.
“He’s a really determined kid and he’s been asking us can he do it since before Christmas to see if he can raise money for charity.”
Whereas normally any such notion voiced by a child would be met with little support from doubtful parents, the O’Connors had better reason than most to consider the idea after dad Niall’s experience with cancer a few years earlier.
“Luckily we’re five years down the road and he’s doing well. We’re one of the good stories, but I lost my sister-in-law to cancer at 40 which is so young, and she left behind small kids. Niall’s mum would have died of cancer as well, so we had seen a lot of tragedy up to that point,” continues Eimear.
“We thought it would be nice to be able to turn something so negative into a positive. Niall and I thought of doing the Shave or Dye challenge for the Irish Cancer Society given our background, and it really grew from there. It was lovely for all of us to be involved in it.”
And so after much fretting and planning, the big day finally arrived on Friday the 24th June.
Their friend-of-a-friend hairdresser arrived at the door that afternoon having been kind enough to lend her time to the cause, and the “party” got underway with locks tumbling and dye cast.
Eimear herself went for the shaved head, with dad Niall and youngest son Eoghan donning an electric blue hue, while it was pink all over for Cormac.
“We had no idea that dyeing hair takes so long!” laughs Eimear, after a successful event.
But what was the reaction of their nearest and dearest afterwards?
“We’re feeling good a few days on, and we’re still getting support which is amazing. The boys were greeted like little rockstars in the school after, and it will be gone by the time they’re back now in September.”
The stellar effort has managed to raise over €10,000 so far and counting, including a substantial contribution from a successful charity fun day organised by Scoil Bhríde Paulstown in Kilkenny.
It really does take a village, according to Eimear, who is grateful for the help and support from the many colleagues, friends and family who gave so generously.
You can still support the O'Connors' fundraiser here: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/eimear-o-connor2
This summer, make your terrible home haircut a fun fundraising event, and raise money for people affected by cancer at a time when they most need your support.
