If you were to meet Anthony earlier this year, the first thing you’d notice about this charismatic 12 year old would be his luscious, brown mane of curls down to his shoulders. Well in need of a haircut after three years of growth, matched with a strong desire to give back to the RCH, Anthony’s Big Chop for Charity was born.

“Anthony wanted to support the RCH because he’s been there a few times over the years with injuries and broken bones. He wanted to do something to thank all of the doctors and nurses who cared for him and to help other much sicker children,” said mum Katherine.

Anthony set the stakes high. With an initial fundraising goal of $3,000, he pledged to get a crew cut, and if he was able to reach $5,000 he would wave goodbye to the curls completely and get a full buzz cut.

With the generous support of the community, including Anthony’s school and Katherine’s workplace, Anthony smashed his goal, raising a total of $6,860 for the RCH through his online fundraising page.

“I got my hair cut in front of the whole school and Mum live streamed it on Facebook. My friends, family and teacher each got to cut off a braid first before I got my buzz cut,” said Anthony.

“I was really nervous to have my hair cut because it had been so long. It was an interesting feeling after, I couldn’t stop rubbing my head and kept accidently using too much shampoo in the shower!”

After careful consideration, Anthony decided to use his donation to sponsor a bed in the Kookaburra Ward to help children undergoing cancer treatment. As a bed sponsor, Anthony will have his name put on the donor recognition board outside the ward as an acknowledgement of his generosity.

“It felt so good to be able to give back to the hospital that helped me. I hope my donation can make a big difference for kids with cancer,” said Anthony.

Learn more about sponsoring a bed at the RCH or starting your own fundraiser using our dedicated online fundraising hub.