Hair-raising €2m pledged for cancer

Today FM’s Shave or Dye annual charity drive has raised a phenomenal €2m for the Irish Cancer Society this year.

DJ Ray D’Arcy puts its success down to the fact that the charity has such a broad appeal.

“Unfortunately, most people’s lives have been touched tragically by cancer and hair shaving is very symbolic of what people with cancer go through during treatment — they lose their hair,” he said.

Mr D’Arcy, who is nursing a broken nose after a nasty fall on his way to work on Tuesday, had his hair dyed orange earlier this year before having it shaved off.

There were over 8,000 Shave or Dye events held around the country this year alone.

“Shave or Dye caught people’s imagination even more this year and there were a lot more younger people taking part in events in school,” said Mr D’Arcy.

The radio station raised €800,000 in 2010 when it first asked listeners to sponsor presenters to shave or dye their hair and to do the same themselves.

An even bigger number of people took part in the now annual fundraising event last year, when €1.37m was raised.

On Feb 17 last, Peter Mark colourist Damien Bennett set a Guinness world record for the most heads of hair permanently dyed in 24 hours. People had their hair dyed either green, white or orange to replicate the Irish flag colours, with Damien managing to get 62 heads dyed.

More than 130 heads were shaved during The Ray D’Arcy Show as Ray and the crew broadcast from The Style Club and a packed Break For The Border in Dublin.