Kara cuts off locks in support of cancer friend

A Co Donegal girl celebrated her seventh birthday at the weekend by getting her long hair cut in solidarity with a friend who is recovering from cancer.

Kara Black, from Buncrana, was inspired to donate her glossy brown tresses after her classmate lost hers to chemotherapy and had to wait a long time for it to grow back.

Her mother Michelle said she was initially reluctant to allow her second youngest child cut off so much of her hair. But Kara pleaded with her until she was convinced it was what she wanted.

“At first I said no but she persisted and a few days later her fundraising campaign was up and running,” said Michelle.

Kara was joined by family and friends at Bliss hair studio in her hometown on Saturday, her seventh birthday. Dressed in her favourite Frozen dress, all 12 inches of her flowing locks were cut off, leaving her with a shiny new bob.

“Kara loves her new hair. Me and her daddy, Stuart, are very proud and I even cried a little,” said Michelle.

The child will now donate her hair to The Little Princess Trust which provides real-hair wigs to boys and girls in Ireland and the UK who have lost their own hair to cancer treatment.

She is also raising money for the Irish Cancer Society and the Irish Heart Foundation in memory of close family members. Kara has far exceeded her €200 target and has already raised €443 for the Irish Cancer Society and almost €730 for the Irish Heart Foundation.