A Heartfelt Gesture for a Worthy Cause
A Durham schoolgirl has donated more than a foot of her hair to a children’s cancer charity in memory of her beloved grandfather. Poppy Wearne, a pupil at Durham High School, has given a total of 14 inches of her hair to The Little Princess Trust and is now growing her locks again to reach a total of half a metre.
Supporting The Little Princess Trust
The Little Princess Trust provides real hair wigs to young people who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy or other conditions. Poppy, a caring 11-year-old from Kirk Merrington, County Durham, first donated seven inches of her hair three years ago and recently gave another seven inches to the trust. This charity is close to her family’s heart as Poppy lost her precious grandfather, David, to cancer in 2014.
Poppy shared her motivation:
“I was really happy about helping people with cancer to get a wig made from natural hair as it must be a very difficult age for young people to lose their own. I want to make a full wig to help people as much as I can by continuing to grow my hair, again and again. I would say to anyone thinking of it, just do it! Hair always grows back.”
Family Pride and Support
Poppy’s mum, Lucy Wearne, expressed her pride:
“I’m extremely proud of Poppy. It’s a grown-up, selfless act and a lovely thing to be able to do for somebody else. It’s not often you can help people directly. Poppy was only two years old when her grandfather died, but he idolised her and the pair were very close. Cancer is such a hideous disease, and we try to give back as much as we can to support and take part in fundraising initiatives relating to cancer research.”
In addition to her hair donations, Poppy and her mum walked 100 miles throughout October to raise funds for cancer research.
A School Community that Cares
Poppy, who is the Charities Rep in her form at school, plans to continue giving back to others throughout her life, a mindset nurtured at Durham High School, which is celebrating its 140th anniversary. Michelle Hill, headmistress at the school, said:
“Poppy is a shining example of how our students are taught to help others who are less fortunate. We’re very proud of her efforts and the determination and motivation she has shown to help young people suffering from cancer.”
Wendy Tarplee-Morris, Founder of The Little Princess Trust, added:
“We are all so grateful to Poppy for thinking of us and the young people we support. Our longest wigs remain among our most popular and so her gorgeous 14-inch donation of hair will be a great help to us. We know from speaking to our wig recipients just how much our free service can help to boost their confidence and identity at what can be a very challenging time. But we can only provide our real hair wigs, free of charge, thanks to some truly amazing people like Poppy.”
Lucy Wearne continued:
“Poppy’s kindness is nourished at school. Everybody looks out for everybody else.”
Poppy added:
“It’s like one big family. Every time I went into a lesson, I was reminded of my haircut because teachers always said, ‘Well Done Poppy!’”
Poppy Wearne’s generous donations and her commitment to helping others are a testament to her compassionate spirit and the supportive environment at Durham High School. Her ongoing efforts serve as an inspiration to her peers and the community.
