Heartfelt donation
The biblical figure Samson was said to have lost his immense strength when his long hair was cut.
However, in the act of cutting her flowing locks, Horsham Holy Trinity Lutheran College student Zyla Nelson found she was able to give strength to others.
Zyla, 14, had more than 35 centimetres of hair cut off at school on Thursday as part of a fundraising effort for children’s charity Variety.
The school community rallied around Zyla with messages of support and donations, helping her smash her initial fundraising target of $500.
As of Monday afternoon, she had raised $2310 for Variety’s Hair with Heart campaign.
Zyla’s hair was also donated to Variety, which provides wigs to children who have lost their hair due to medical conditions.
Wigs can cost up to $6000 and need to be replaced every one to two years, meaning donations of hair are always needed.
Zyla’s mother Ange Nelson said she was extremely proud of her daughter for her thoughtfulness and charitable nature.
“Zyla has always had long hair, but two years ago she said she was going to donate it and she stopped cutting it,” she said.
“It was her friend who came up with the idea and they were going to do it together, but for her friend it seemed to be an idea that passed, while Zyla stuck with it.
“This is the kind of person she is – she’s always thinking of others.”
Ms Nelson said the Holy Trinity Lutheran College community had supported Zyla wonderfully through the process.
“It has been one of the best experiences she’s ever had,” she said.
“The support in the community, the school and local businesses has blown her away. It has been so rewarding and she loved doing it – others have been sending her messages and letters of support.”
Ms Nelson said Zyla’s initial goal was simply to cut off her hair and donate it privately, but she had been encouraged by her friends to raise money for Variety as well.
She said Zyla’s hair had been donated, but people could still make a donation to her Variety Hair with Heart page by visiting website https://hairwith heart.everydayhero.com/au/ zyla-s-chop.