As an enraptured audience of excited students counted down from five, Howick Primary School’s executive officer prepared himself.
When they hit one Wilbyn Mitchell’s hairdresser shaved the first streak from his head.
Last Monday Wilbyn decided to do a “crazy thing” for an amazing cause – Shave for a Cure, where people nation-wide pick up their clippers to support Kiwis living with blood cancer.
“I want to help find more effective treatments to save lives and make sure people with cancer get the support they need to get through,” Wilbyn says.
His cause also runs personally deep. On Friday Wilbyn’s hairdresser in South Africa passed away from cancer; a close friend who gave him his last haircut in his homeland two days before he moved to New Zealand.
“Her name was Michelle,” he says. “She was wonderful.”
His hair shave occurred in front of Howick Primary’s students and teachers adorning whacky and unique hair for Crazy Hair Day. This included the principal Leyette Callister who was comfortably displaying her ribboned pigtails.
“My mother was diagnosed with leukaemia when I was 19,” Callister says. “She survived because of a life-changing cure.”
Wilbyn’s shaven head brought applause and cheers from the students and staff as well as from visiting Pakuranga MP, Simeon Brown.
Students also brought a gold coin donation to his cause.
As at July 5, Wilbyn had raised $501.
- If you wish to donate, visit www.shaveforacure.co.nz/wilbyn-mitchell.
