Janine Hanson raises $2.5k via the big chop at Middleton Beach Bowling and Community Club for Cancer Council

When two of her friends recently told Janine Hanson of their recent cancer diagnoses, she decided she had had quite enough.

The pair, Hugh and Joan, were the latest in a string of people in her life with the disease and served as a signal for her to kick up a fundraising campaign, culminating in a hair chop at the Middleton Beach Bowling and Community Club, where she serves as secretary.

“I went, ‘OK, that’s the universe telling me, it’s time to do something’,” she said.

The event, titled Janine’s giving Cancer (and her hair) the Big Chop! was held on October 3, where her hair, braided into five plaits was cut off, each one by someone affected by cancer.

She was well supported by the club, with more than 70 people attending the chop event.

Now sporting a significantly shorter hairdo, Ms Hanson has not only raised more than $2500 for Cancer Council research since August, but also donated the chopped hair to be made into wigs for children who have lost their hair in treatment.

“I realised that the money that you raise is finding new drugs all the time to help people,” she said.

“One drug might not work, but then they might find another drug that gives you some longevity, or it fights that cancer that you’re battling.

“You’re potentially saving somebody’s life, or giving them a better quality of life or giving them time with their family, giving them time to get their affairs in order.”

She said the most rewarding part of the campaign was the conversations it sparked.

“What I really was happy with, is that I was trying to get people aware,” she said.

“As I was going on, having conversations with people about my campaign, people go, ‘Oh yeah, I had a brother pass away’ or one of the ladies involved said, ‘Oh yes, when I had my bout with cancer’.

“It’s bloody everywhere, this hideous thing and yet everyone just carries on.

“This can hit anybody at any time, and people need to be aware all the time; don’t take your life for granted.”

Donations can be made via the Cancer Council website at Do It For Cancer.