By Mikayla van Loon
What began as the growing of a mullet in 2019, has turned into a World’s Greatest Shave opportunity for one young Lilydale resident.
Eleven year old Nathan, a Grade 5 student at Victoria Road Primary School, has been growing his hair for three years and decided it would be a nice thing to do if he shaved it for a good cause.
“It started over Covid because we couldn’t get haircuts,” Nathan’s mum Marie said.
“Then he decided to just keep growing it because a friend of ours did the Greatest Shave last year.”
For Nathan, he said “it’s been fun having long hair” but he likes the idea that his hair will go to someone in need.
“I was also thinking about it before I heard [my friend] was doing it. I was like, I should shave my hair off or maybe cut it but then I heard about the Greatest Shave, so I was like, I might as well do that because my hair is going to a good cause,” he said.
Fundraising for the Leukemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave, Nathan had a target of $1000 which he has already surpassed and now hopes to increase with just two weeks left before the shave.
At each donation milestone, Nathan was able to see what that money would go towards or fund for a family experiencing leukemia by receiving electronic badges.
Nathan said he’d like to get to $1200, which gets him the ‘Beep Beep Badge’ but would provide people who are too sick following chemotherapy treatment with free transport.
Marie said in just a couple of days Nathan’s fundraising efforts jumped from $500 to over $1000, something neither of them thought would happen.
Preparing to shave his hair in front of the school assembly on Friday 9 September, Nathan said he was excited.
For Marie, seeing her son take on this challenge has been such a proud moment.
“It was his decision to keep growing it. He had the opportunity to cut it off and he said no.
“I think it’s fabulous what he’s doing. It’s just something small he can do that can really help people on a bigger scale.”
To donate to Nathan’s fundraiser and help him reach his new target, go to worldsgreatestshave.com/donate and search for Nathan Muys.
