SQUEALS of delight rang out at St Columba’s School, Wilston, as hair fell to the ground.
Hair clippers buzzed as student after student made their way to the stage.
Then the roar went up – “Zero”, “Zero”, “Zero” – as teacher and organiser of the school’s annual Shave for a Cure Ricardo Bonasia took his seat.
It was his turn for a haircut and the rest of the students made it known, loudly – how short they wanted it to be.
Mr Bonasia joined a record number of students this year, including one brave girl, another teacher and the school’s adopt-a-cop Dan O’Brien, who lost their hair to the clippers to help raise money for the annual World’s Greatest Shave.
To date the school has raised more than $33,000, with donations still pouring in, to help find a cure for the insidious disease which affects the blood.
Every day, 34 Australians are diagnosed with leukaemia, which is the third most common cause of cancer death in Australia.
For the past 13 years St Columba’s has participated in the Shave for a Cure and raised more than $80,000 for the cause.
The money raised helped support leukaemia patients and their families when they needed it most and was also used for research into better treatments and cures for the blood cancer.
Mr Bonasia said students, staff and community members, past and present, had supported the annual event in the hope that one day a cure would be found for the cancer.
He said last year St Columba’s was the top fundraising school not only in Queensland, but Australia-wide and the school received an award at the 2015 ceremony.
“Past and present students and families have suffered from this terrible condition and it is one small way we can follow in the footsteps of Jesus and help others,” Mr Bonasia said.
He thanked local hairdresser “Soul” who supported the school in the big shave this year.
Principal Martin Wilkie said it was amazing to see so many young, and not so young people, “sacrificing” their hair for such a good cause, especially in this special Year of Mercy.
“We never seem to have a problem getting volunteers to take part,” he said.
“The rest of the children, staff and school community also participated through fundraising for the volunteers.
“It is very much at the heart of who we are as a school community, a Catholic community, particularly when we’ve had families here afflicted by cancer.
“We can always rely on this community to stand up and support those in need.”
As well as those having their heads shaved many other students also arrived at school wearing wacky hairstyles of many and varied colours.
