Six-year-old Marnee Walters is counting down the days until her hair is cut for Variety-The Children’s Charity.
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Marnee’s act of generosity was prompted by her friend, Adelaide Gurr, who lost her hair while undergoing treatment for leukaemia.
The Walters family will travel to Newcastle where they will meet up with the Gurrs for Marnee’s haircut which will provide wigs for kids with cancer.
Adelaide is not able to travel to Gunnedah for the occasion because she needs to stay close to the hospital.
The four-year-old and her family lived in Gunnedah until January 2016 when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.
She is undergoing treatment at John Hunter Hospital and has about 17 months to go.
Someone must be with Adelaide at all times, so her mother, Kirran gave up work, and with ongoing medical costs, the family has been under financial strain.
Kirran’s friend and Marnee’s mother, Meleah, decided to start a GoFundMe page in January after Marnee decided she wanted to donate her hair. In just two months, more than $5000 has been donated.
Meleah said her family wanted to travel to Adelaide so it would be “more personal”.
Marnee’s hair will be divided into multiple pony tails to reduce the loss of hair and each of the Walters and Gurr children will have a chance to cut off a pony tail.
“I’m relieved that I don’t have a six-year-old that keeps asking me to cut her hair because seven weeks is a long time for little girl,” Meleah said.
“I’ve shown her a couple of pictures of how she might like it cut and she actually wants a boy’s cut and she wants those little lines in it [like her brother had].”
Meleah said she was touched by how many people had donated to the Gurrs.
“We appreciate everyone who has donated and the Gurr family are just so overwhelmed that people that don’t even know them have been so generous and supportive,” she said.
“Marnee’s story has also inspired others to actually participate in the World’s Greatest Shave which is in March for leukaemia.”
Kirran said the family was grateful to the Walters, those who have donated and to Marnee for her generosity.
“We think Marnee is amazing and so kind,” she said.
To support the Gurr family, visit https://www.gofundme.com/adelaidepraylove
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