Caroline Springs hairdresser Shaun Broadbent uses his skills to provide a special service for young people facing cancer treatment.
The 23-year-old has joined cancer charity Challenge and goes to the Royal Children’s Hospital on the last Tuesday of every month to give children and their parents a haircut, styling or shaving in the privacy of their hospital wards.
“I really wanted to give back to the community,” Mr Broadbent said.“The haircuts can help families step out of reality for 10 minutes, half an hour or an hour. Any time away from reality is good in those situations.”
Caroline Springs teenager Bianca-Rose says such a service would have been treasured when she was undergoing treatment for stage 2 Hodgkins lymphoma.
Like any 14-year-old teen battling cancer, all she wanted was to be able to save her long, silky, brown hair.
“I didn’t think I was going to lose my hair,” said Bianca-Rose, who is in remission.
“I went to the salon of a lady I know, but it was quite traumatic. There were people waiting for their appointments, people having their appointments … it was like a fishbowl with everyone’s eyes on you.”
Challenge chief executive David Rogers said having a hairdresser come into the hospital was a “great way” to assist during difficult times.
For more information about the service, call Challenge hospital activities co-ordinator Renee Charlton on 9329 8474.
