When Farmer Dave Graham had his signature long locks cut off it was for very good reason … to help children with cancer.
The Grantham Farm resident visited the Kids With Cancer head office in Castle Hill last week to have his hair cut off to make five wigs for five kids. He also set himself a goal to raise $13,000, the cost of making the wigs, as part for the Kids with Cancer Foundation’s Wigs 4 Kids program.
Farmer Dave became known for his luscious long golden locks while a contestant on Big Brother in 2006. He became a TV celebrity after he shared his story of growing up as a gay man in the bush, and for his work with dogs for social good.
Dave said: “Having long hair has been my protective armour, emotionally mentally and physically. I hope that the little kids whose wigs are made from my hair, and the funds we raise to make more, get that same sense of self affirmation and ability to keep getting up each day, slip in their protective amour in their fight for life”.
He said he was moved to help when he was MC at last year’s Gold Ribbon Ball fundraiser for Kids with Cancer Foundation, held by Danielle, Sophie and Harrison Smith who lost 8-year-old son and brother, William, to cancer in 2018.
“The Foundation provides so much holistic care,” he said. “They do absolutely everything, from funding 20 healthcare professionals, funding hospitals and helping individual families. I spoke to so many families that had been helped.
“I didn’t realise wigs for KWCF’s Wigs 4 Kids program were made right here on the Central Coast (Ella Wigmakers) and has provided over 100 wigs for children with cancer. It enables kids going through treatment to feel like ordinary kids without reminders that they are different.”
He said while he had his long hair cut regularly to donate wigs for children, he had previously sent it to a charity in America.
He was happy that this year’s “big chop” (a healthy 80cms of hair) was kept in Australia after six years of growing it.
The big chop was livestreamed on Facebook by Farmer Dave, and who better to do the big cut than 9-year-old cancer warrior Zai (pictured) who was diagnosed with stage 4, high risk Neuroblastoma in March last year.
Since his diagnosis Zai has undergone one of the most gruelling treatment protocols a child can endure – eight rounds of high-dose chemotherapy, two 8 hour surgeries, a bone marrow transplant, 12 rounds of radiation, and 6 months of immunotherapies.
He has responded very well to treatment, but the hard truth is that Neuroblastoma has a 50% relapse rate and if Zai relapses, his chances of survival plummet to just 5%.
The good news is that Zai has been accepted into an American Clinical trial of an amazing drug, DFMO, for relapse prevention in high-risk Neuroblastoma cases.
This is not available in Australia yet, and to undergo this treatment Zai will need to travel to the USA at least six times in the next two years, which brings with it huge financial stress for his family. You can donate direct to Zai to support him on his journey here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-zais-journey
Donations to support Dave’s big chop can be made until June 14th.
https://fundraise.kidswithcancer.org.au/fundraisers/davegraham
Farmer Dave will also be Master of Ceremonies at the Gold Ribbon Ball, fundraising for Kids with Cancer Foundation, on 7 September 2024 at Western Sydney Community and Conference Centre, Penrith – tickets are on sale, goldribbonball.com.au
Kids with Cancer Foundation provides direct financial support to families of kids with cancer, Wigs4Kids, Care Packs, funds research, vital clinician positions and capital works in children’s hospitals all around Australia.
Around 1000 children in Australia are diagnosed with cancer each year, and Dave wants to use his hair cut to raise awareness and funds to help these children and their families.
The Foundation recently donated $10 million to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead for the new Cancer Centre for Children.
To find out more about the charity visit kidswithcancer.org.au
