Men urged to get in on the act with make-up snaps

The father of a little boy who lost his battle against cancer is trying to get men to take selfies with make-up on to raise awareness and funds for a charity that helped his family in their hour of need.

Tsung Ho Lam and his wife Stacey lost their son Jack, 4, just four months ago. Jack had survived neuroblastoma but succumbed to organ failure after intensive chemotherapy and other treatments.

“Stacey did her no make-up selfie online and I saw that this was becoming a craze and people were then adding a link to the Irish Cancer Society to their selfies,” said Tsung.

“Then I heard lads were doing make-up selfies. We have a Facebook page we set up for Jack and it has 5,000 followers and I thought why don’t I try and get some funds through this for Aoibheann’s Pink Tie,” he said from the family home in Castlebar, Co Mayo.

Aoibheann’s Pink Tie was sent up by Aoibheann’s dad Jimmy Norman and two close friends after the 8-year-old girl died from neuroblastoma nearly four years ago. It provides help to families given a diagnosis of childhood cancer.

Jimmy said: “The selfies have generated thousands of euro which will go to help the families of the children and the children being treated on St John’s Ward in Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin.”

Such was the success of the make-up selfie that Aoibheann’s Pink Tie has had enquiries from overseas about donating.

* To donate €2, text ‘Aoibheann’ to 50300.