Brighton teenager clocks up 44 inches of donated hair to cancer charity

Sarah Withey, a pupil at Brighton Girls School, donated 15 inches of her blonde hair to the Little Princess Trust in May this year. Back in summer 2020 she donated a whopping 17 inches and the first time, in 2017, she donated around 12 inches.

The Little Princess Trust provides free real hair wigs to children and young people, who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions.

Sarah, who lives in Rottingdean, explained: “I donated my hair for the first time in August 2017 when I was six because my friend at Beaver Scouts got cancer and the treatment made her lose her hair. I thought I could donate my long hair so that children like my friend could get a wig from the Little Princess Trust.

“As soon as I donated my hair, I decided I was going to do it again so I started growing it. I was due to have my hair cut for a second time at Easter 2020 at the age of 9, but due to Covid, I could only get my hair cut later that summer – this gave my hair even more time to grow and I donated over 17 inches.”

While Sarah was waiting for lockdown rules to change so she could get her hair cut, she also decided to do some fundraising for the charity too and raised £936 for the Trust and also Young Lives V Cancer through cake sales and by sharing her plan with friends and family.

She added: “After the second cut, I wasn’t sure if I would grow my hair again immediately, but as soon it started to get long, I knew I wanted to help others again. I had my hair cut at the end of May at the age of 13, with another 15 inches donated to the Little Princess Trust and I have managed to raise £760 (£880 with gift aid) for the charity.

“I originally set a target of £250 to raise, but friends and family were so generous that I raised the target to £500 and then £600 and I am very happy with all the fundraising I have received. The Little Princess Trust website says it costs about £700 to make, fit and style one wig for a child or young person so my fundraising efforts will enable the charity to make sure someone can benefit from my hair donation.

“I will enjoy my hair being short for the summer and will aim to start growing it again towards Christmas as I feel lucky to grow such thick hair and I understand how much impact it can have on other children who have sadly lost their hair. It will take me about another three to four years to get really long hair again. I’m really proud of myself.”

Mum Caroline Withey added: “Sarah has been so committed and determined over a number of years to help other children who are going through a tough time and donating her hair and raising funds for charity is one of the ways in which she does this. She is an amazing young lady and we are really proud of her.”

Sarah’s headteacher Rosie McColl added: “What a thoughtful, kind girl Sarah is. To think about others from such a young age is very special and we are immensely proud of her.”