“My daughter is going to have a fit when I get home” Betty Maslen, who is 89, joked after having her hair coloured bright pink in Raymond Terrace on Thursday.
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But it was for a good cause – the World’s Greatest Shave.
The great-great-grandmother from Bobs Farm took part in the shave event hosted annually at MarketPlace Raymond Terrace. All money raised from the event is donated to the Leukaemia Foundation.
Mrs Maslen said her family had been affected by cancer, and “it it helps” she was happy to go pink for the cause.
Two-year-old Bella Watson also did her part on Thursday, sitting in the chair to have her hair coloured.
Port Stephens police also got in on the action. Senior Constable Luke Rogers had his hair coloured while Chief Inspector Tony Townsend had Michelle Sweeney from Nextra newsagency shave his head.
For Chief Inspector Townsend, supporting the Leukaemia Foundation is a cause close to his heart. In 2012 and 2013 he battled acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
During his year-long battle, which included six month stays in Westmead Hospital and Mater Hospital, the Leukaemia Foundation supported Chief Inspector Townsend and his family.
This support included providing a unit for his family to stay in when the Chief Inspector spent six months in the Sydney hospital.
After 12 long months, 52 blood transfusions, three transplants of bone marrow and T-cells, the Chief Inspector entered remission.
He is still in remission.
“I was really lucky,” Chief Inspector Townsend said after his head shave on Thursday.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Westmead or the Mater. I’m passionate about supporting the Leukaemia Foundation. It’s something very close to my heart.”
Between the event hours of 11am and 6.30pm on March 15, the MarketPlace raised $5600 for the Leukaemia Foundation.