WATCHING her father nearly die from a rare blood condition was just one of the motivating factors behind Bernadette Ellis’ decision to shave her hair for the Leukaemia Foundation.
The Community Newspaper Group distribution coordinator lost her locks in Myaree today as part of the World’s Greatest Shave.
Bernadette said watching her father fall gravely ill when she was younger had a big impact on her.
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READ NOW“My dad had a rare blood condition where his white blood cells were eating his white blood cells and he nearly died,” she said.
“He had something like 26 blood transfusions and he nearly passed away.”
Her father recovered from the condition at the time, but Bernadette said she really just wanted to help out with raising money.
“I just want to help all these families that have got sick children you know – all these babies out there that have blood cancers and leukaemia,” she said.
“I just want to make a difference.”
The Seville Grove resident did just that seven years ago when she shaved her head the first time around – raising $1000 in the process.
So far, with the tally at almost $1300 by the end of last week, Bernadette looks set to smash that record.
To help Bernadette, go to worldsgreatestshave.com/sponsor and enter Bernadette3 in the first name field.