A nine-year-old girl from Alcester is having 15 inches of her hair cut off to help children with life-threatening illnesses in the UK.
Sophia Esler is nervous about doing it, but she wants to help children who have lost their hair through illnesses like cancer. She has so far raised more than £800 for the Warwick-based charity, Molly Ollys and she will be donating her hair to the Little Princess Trust so they can make wigs for children who have lost their hair.
Sophia’s mum, Annie volunteers for Molly Ollys and she said; “Sophia has been to charity events with me. She wants to help children less fortunate than her and this is her way of doing that. She is scared as she has never had short hair, but she is hoping she will like it shorter for the summer.”
Sophia said; “My friends are all shocked that I am doing this as I have always had long hair, but I want to help children less fortunate than me. I think Molly Ollys is amazing because the Charity makes wishes come true for children who have been very unwell.”
Sophia’s original target was £500 which is the average cost of a wish that Molly Ollys delivers for a child. The wishes can be anything from a climbing frame to an ipad to a day trip or something like Amazon vouchers. Each wish is an individual as the child.
The founder of Molly Ollys, Rachel Ollerenshaw said; “I am very proud of Sophia. For her to have raised more than £800 is just fabulous. This money will make such a difference to the children we support. Sophia is helping to make the dark days brighter for families facing the most terrifying health challenges. Thank you very much.”
Family friend Helen Clifton – who is a hairdresser – cutting Sophia’s hair at her home on Thursday. Annie again; “For the time being, Sophia is enjoying wearing her hair down and in lots of different styles as she knows it will be much shorter very soon, but for such a good cause.”
To donate to Sophia’s fundraising page, go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sophiaesler
