I would like to donate 40cm of my hair to the Little Princess Trust after my PhD graduation ceremony in University of Stirling on 26 June 2024. I have booked an appointment with a hairdresser in Charlie Miller (thanks to Darlene) in Edinburgh on 28 June 2024.

The hair donation is about the same length my hair has grown since Aug 2019. Back in the end of July 2019, I donated my hair quietly to the Little Princess Trust. I have always been regretting for not telling more people about this amazing charity which supports children and young people who have lost hair. I told myself next time, I will make everyone who knows me know from me what the Little Princess Trust has been doing.

I have went through unexpected extremely low period from 2020, but my hair kept growing.

I gradually recovered from my difficulties and became more resilient, and my hair kept growing.

I started to become the changes I always want to see in the world, and my hair kept growing.

When I got my PhD graduation ceremony confirmed, I know it is time for harvesting the hair.

I have had many lovely moments documented in my photos with this hair which keeps growing in my life.

Let it accompany someone who needs it more than me. I hope the energy and power I have in it stay with you strongly.

I hope my hair can be my best gift to you when you just need it. Let the courage and resilience grow with you: my little princess!

My hair grows with me from someone almost lost her heart to a Dr. (first person in my family; to my knowledge, first Chinese person in my own research field written a thesis in English). It has witnessed a miracle of me. And I sincerely hope it will pass on a hope and even a miracle for you- who may have my hair as a free wig from the Little Princess Trust.

For potential people who would like to support me:

There are two ways of donation,

(1) donate directly through this just giving page:

it will be card only and your donation directly goes to the charity (the Little Princess Trust), I will only get the fundraising number going up;

(2) donate to me:

it will be cash only, I will make a note of your donation and do the calculation on 27 June, and donate them to the charity on 28 June. I will deal with your donation.

How much should you donate?

If you are a student or early career researcher who is not currently in a well-paid job, but you really want to support me, I highly suggest that a signature ONE POUND ONLY and share with more people if you can.

If you have a bit of budget that you regularly donate to charities, please donate some to my fundraising campaign for the Little Princess Trust. I hope that you will donate as much as you can afford and you would like it to be. I appreciate it!

No matter how much you donate, please feel free to get in touch with me so that I can send you a thank-you card (with my design) either through email or postage. Or if you don’t want to stay in contact with me after your donation, please accept my thanks in advance.

Thanks you for reading my appeal!

I will be updating the progress and photos of my hair donation here and on:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@hermionefree7824?si=slM4oSLqxxog_FlT

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xin-miao-15261010b

Twitter (@hermionemiao)

and

Instagram

personal account: my_blue_marble (you will need to request follow me)

professional account: @mapping_inspirational_women (it is a public account for my advocacy)

Thanks again, you are nearly at the end of my story.

A bit more about the charity:

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

The charity is also one of the largest funders of childhood cancer research in the UK.

The Little Princess Trust relies solely on the generosity of its wonderful supporters who help the charity give Hair and Hope to so many children and young people with cancer each year.