Pegasus Post: July 16, 2020

PEGASUS POST Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Thursday July 16 2020 5
News
Teen’s hairy mission
for cancer patients
Murals let Chch artists
express themselves
• From page 1
In early March, the community
also got involved, where more
than 40 people of all ages showed
up to help paint the words, “Orua
Paeroa,” drawing on the Māori
name for the area.
“We found there were large,
prominent areas in New Brighton
which were vacant and derelict
and had a negative visual appearance
for our small community,”
said Mr Fantastic.
“Everyone is waiting for someone
else to do something about
it, so my wife said, ‘why don’t you
do something?”
The murals have given
Christchurch artists a chance to
express their artwork in a legal
and safe environment.
With the community also able
to contribute, it gave them a sense
of ownership and pride in the
“Bohemian village.”
“It gives them ownership, like
if they were driving past they can
point it out, and those people will
grow up seeing it,” he said.
The cancellation created a
window of opportunity to change
aspects of the event for next year,
but with Covid-19 creating a raft
of uncertainties, Mr Fantastic
remained cautiously optimistic.
“Next year we’re thinking of
having a smaller-scale event, such
as a walking tour, and we want to
be able to do more [street art] in
the greater Christchurch area,”
he said.
“We hope more building owners
come on board and provide
wall space for us.
“But we’re still really nervous
about it though; the hurt that
we felt ... we don’t want to go
through that again.”
• By Bea Gooding
EVERY FOUR hours a New
Zealander is diagnosed with a
blood cancer - a statistic which
motivated Trisha Shailaj to cut
off her luscious, 16-inch locks.
The year 11 Avonside Girls’
High School student always
admired her long hair, but she
realised there would be someone
out there who needed it more.
She dedicated at least six
months towards growing her
hair and eventually donated a
large portion of it to the Cancer
Society to be made into a wig.
“Over a year back, one of the
girls at school shaved her hair
off completely to raise money for
the Cancer Society,” she said.
“I thought, I too could do
something similar and help
some people who are less fortunate
than I am.”
She originally decided to shave
her hair off completely, but after
doing some research, she realised
she could donate it instead, where
it can be repurposed for a cause.
“I looked in the mirror and
thought, my hair is long but I
don’t really need it. Even if I cut
it, it’ll grow back,” she said.
EFFORT: Trisha Shailaj, donated a large portion of her hair to the
Cancer Society for wig making.
PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN
In the months leading up to the
day she was filled with excitement,
but the closer it got, the more anxious
and uncertain she felt.
“Just before the final day, I hesitated.
I didn’t want to do it, I even
started crying. But at the end of
the day, it is just hair,” she said.
This was not the first time she
had donated time and energy
towards helping her community.
Through her father’s involvement
with Friends of Rotary,
she had completed fundraising
efforts for Multiple Sclerosis and
Parkinson’s Canterbury.
Freedom Hair in Dunedin
made wigs for the Cancer Society
and accepted Trisha’s donation,
corresponding with how there
should be more people like her.
Said Trisha: “I would
encourage others to do this,
or anything similar. It doesn’t
matter what others think, if you
want to make a positive change
for other people in the world,
just do it.
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