Twins get the chop for cancer

It was two years in the making for twins Chloe and Paige Nieman and the time had come to sit before the snips.

The non-identical sisters from Tapawera Area School decided at just seven-years-old they wanted to grow their hair for children going through chemotherapy.

The girls had the day off school yesterday to have the chop for Daffodil Day at ANZ Richmond in front of a number of supporters.

Mum Haley Nieman said the girls made the decision after see- ing a social media post of a young girl cutting her hair for the cause.

‘‘They were just thinking about it and asked if they could do it and I said, ‘sure’.’’

She said she had been talking to the girls about the process a lot so they understood what was happening with their hair.

‘‘They know that it’s going to people with no hair, to give them confidence and they know that the money is going towards trying to find the solution to it. I’m so so proud of them.’’

During the event, over $1100 was raised.

Cut by their regular hair- dresser from Wakefield, Mel Douglas-Solly, their hair had to be at least 20cm long to qualify for being made into a wig.

Douglas-Solly said the girls were adamant their hair had to go to another child, so she researched and discovered a place in Ohio, USA called Wigs for Kids.

She tried to keep the hair in New Zealand but it proved difficult, she said.

Posted to the US in an envelope, the hair had to be wrapped in tissue to prevent it from sweating.

Paige was first to brave the chop, a strategic manouevre by Douglas-Solly. ‘‘I went for the shyest first so she didn’t change her mind.’’

Chloe watched on as her sister went from long locks to a bob cut.

Cancer Society Nelson manager Michelle Hunt said it was amazing how the whole community supported Daffodil Day.

‘‘The younger generations are already becoming socially conscious about bigger issues...it’s beautiful.’’

As Paige sat with her fresh cut watching her sister, she said she liked her new do and was happy it was going to children with cancer.

‘‘I feel nice doing it and I feel I’m doing the right thing.’’