29 people donate hair to cancer charity wigs in Charlie Miller salon event

318 inches of hair was donated.
Ava Dunlop (9), Agatha King (9) and Holly Dunlop (12) donated their hair.Ava Dunlop (9), Agatha King (9) and Holly Dunlop (12) donated their hair.
Ava Dunlop (9), Agatha King (9) and Holly Dunlop (12) donated their hair.

Charlie Miller hair salon in Edinburgh decided to put the extra day on February 29 to good use with an event to donate 29 people’s hair to charity.

The salon has an ongoing relationship with Hair 4 U and the Little Princess Trust, which gives real hair wigs for free to children and young people with hair loss because of cancer treatment.

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In a bid to do something ‘special’ to mark the Leap Year, Charlie Miller put out a social media call for 29 people to donate their hair, and had 21 responses within the first 24 hours.

Agatha King with Jason Miller, who cut her hair.Agatha King with Jason Miller, who cut her hair.
Agatha King with Jason Miller, who cut her hair.

A total of 29 different stylists from Charlie Miller’s five salons around the city gathered in the Stafford Street salon along with 29 people who had signed up to donate their hair on Sunday March 1.

After getting upwards of seven inches cut from their hair each person was given a complimentary restyle of their new bob.

A total of 318 inches of hair was donated on the day.

Nine-year-old Agatha King was the youngest person to take part.

318 inches of hair was donated.318 inches of hair was donated.
318 inches of hair was donated.
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It was her second time doing so, as she also donated her hair before losing it due to treatment for Leukaemia five years ago.

Agatha has now been in remission for two-and-a-half years.

Her mother Karen King was ‘very nervous’ before the haircut as she worried the nine-year-old might be upset by the reality of her new style.

But the event went much better than expected, Ms King said.

“Agatha was in her element, she absolutely loved it,” she said.

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“I cried when she had it cut - it was just like we were back in that hospital room five years ago.”

Agatha has now become used to her new short hairsyle.

“She can now brush her hair in two minutes,” Ms Dunlop said.

Agatha’s friends Holly and Ava Dunlop also took part in the event.

12-year-old Holly had received a wig from the Princess Trust in the past, after her diagnosis in 2015.

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She has now been in remission for two years and is a junior ambassador for Jak’s Den, a support charity for young people with cancer and their families.

“It was a very emotional day, Holly and Ava were both a bit nervous,” said mother Pauline Dunlop.

“But it went really well and they both love their new hair.

She added: “I’m bursting with pride, they both wanted to give something back.”

Charlie Miller joint Managing Director Jason Miller said the event was a ‘massive success’.

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He said: “As hairdressers we pride ourselves on making people look and feel fantastic and Sunday’s event added so much more to that emotion with the knowledge that we were all giving back.

“It was a massive success for everyone involved with lots of fun, laughter and high energy.”

Set up in 2006, the Little Princess Trust has given free wigs to thousands of children undergoing treatment.

Since 2016 it has also awarded over £2.8 million in research funding.