My name doesn’t matter, but my story does. I’m trying to raise £10,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. I have been growing my hair since 2019 to donate it to a charity that will make a wig for someone struggling with hair loss due to cancer. After all these years of being mistaken for a girl, it’s finally 1 meter long (100 cm), and it’s ready to be given to someone who can benefit from it. So, I’ve decided to share my story and raise some money for charity alongside donating my hair and braving the shave!

Just over five years ago, when COVID began, I started growing my hair without a specific end goal or date in mind. But now that I’m here, I want to make the most of it. I’ll be doing what I can to raise money through whatever means I can find (charity events to come). Please follow my Instagram @Rayihahealing and @Halfheretv to find out what I’m doing next! Rayiha Healing is a small company I started that sells candles and home goods, donating 20% of its profits to this fundraiser. So, anything you might need from there will also be supporting a good cause!

Anything you can afford to donate will help people in what feels like an inescapable situation get the support they need during a hard time. If you can’t donate, simply sharing my story on your social media or telling friends and family would be a great help.

Leading up to starting this fundraiser, I began looking into support groups and chat rooms for cancer patients and their families. It hollowed my stomach to think that this can happen to anyone at any time, and it’s unimaginable to think about how many different ways people deal with it. My goal is to help people and families through their worries and anxieties and encourage them to take every moment they have to fight back—to focus on their mental, physical, and spiritual health in a way that makes everyday life more fulfilling and happy.