‘Road kill’ to go under the scissors to help beat big C
James Pugsley is undertaking Relay for Life his way with the shearing of a mullet 18 months in the making
Covid’s put a stop to so many fundraising events. However this daily battle that Kiwis face goes on, pandemic or not.
The Hits Manawatu¯ daytime announcer James Pugsley on cancer support
Ask James Pugsley if he will get rid of his moustache and his reply is unequivocal. “Absolutely not, never. If you saw what I looked like without the moustache you would be thanking me for not shaving it off.”
His mullet is another story. On March 25, it will be gone and his head shaved.
The Hits Manawatu¯ daytime announcer was planning to take part in his first Manawatu¯ Relay for Life. While this year’s physical events are cancelled due to Covid, the Cancer Society fundraiser still has legs or in Pugsley’s cause hair removal equipment.
He’s raising money by doing the relay his way with business in the front, fundraising in the back. The tagline is a play on the mullet being described as business in the front, party at the back.
Pugsley has been growing the back of his hair since September 2020 and it’s the longest it has ever been. “Growing road kill on my head like
this took some mahi.”
The 26-year-old has never grown his hair below his neck before and when he’s trying to sleep the untamed locks are everywhere. He’s finding the length annoying but his partner likes long hair and will be sad when it goes. Then they will have to face the fuzzy, can’t-do-anythingwith-it stage.
He wanted to use his radio waves platform to give the fundraiser a voice. The society’s battle against cancer is ongoing regardless of events being cancelled.
“Covid’s put a stop to so many fundraising events. However this daily battle that Kiwis face goes on, pandemic or not.”
The Cancer Society has always been a household name for research and looking after people fighting those battles, Pugsley says.
As a high school student, he had his hair shaved for Relay for Life so knows what it will feel like. This time it feels good to be doing it of his own volition rather than as a group.
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Text SHAVE to 4487 for the link to donate.