Caroline ‘Irish’ Foley-Williams, left, with her wife Samantha Foley-Williams, Brenda Kawana Hutton, and her granddaughter Ayvah Kawana-Nicho, 9 months.
Twenty people lined up for head shave at Kuripuni Tavern
Emily Ireland
Twenty people will be facing the razor at the Kuripuni Sports Bar on Friday night – shaving their heads to raise money for the Wairarapa Cancer Society.
Staff from the tavern, Brenda Kawana-Hutton, and Caroline ‘Irish’ Foley-Williams, said planning for the event began at the start of July after quite a few family members and friends were diagnosed with cancer, including Brenda’s mother.
“When we randomly decided to pull this event together, we thought of the massive impact cancer has on Wairarapa families and how, with the local chemotherapy clinic, things have become so much easier to cope with.
“We thought if we were going to fundraise for local cancer patients, why not fundraise and have the money go locally?
“We’ve had family members who have died from cancer, but it’s one of those things that until you are directly impacted by it, it’s just a passing though in your head.
“As family, you are involved in the appointment, the ups and downs, the history of it all.
“Until you are affected, you don’t consider the full picture.”
Brenda’s mum is going through chemotherapy treatments in Wairarapa and will be the first in the chair on Friday to get her head shaved at the tavern.
Brenda has already shaved her head in solidarity with her mum and close friend, which proved to be a good talking point to promote the event.
Irish said they had chosen to have 20 people shave their heads on Friday because Trust House had confirmed it would sponsor $100 per head up to 20 people.
One woman who will be taking the seat has waist-length hair.
Another person will be shaving his facial hair as well as head, Irish said.
Irish’s wife Samantha said as well as the shave, other fundraising had been under way including meat raffles.
“We’re also all doing Dry July, so we thought we might as well use the money we would have spent on alcohol and donate it towards a cancer cause.”
The event will kick off at 5pm on Friday, alongside a raffle and auction.
