Mount Barker’s Georgia Roberts happy to lose her locks for kids battling cancer

Georgia Roberts has been growing her long, wavy hair for most of her young life, but the 11-year-old will soon chop off more than 50cm to donate to children battling cancer.

The fight against cancer is one close to Georgia’s heart, after watching her 12-year-old childhood friend Bonnie Klomp and her four-year-old cousin Oliver battle the disease.

Narrogin’s brave Bonnie lost her six-year battle with medulloblastoma — the most common type of cancerous brain tumour in children — in August.

Georgia said her friend was always a source of joy, even in the hardest moments.

“Even when she was in hospital and everyone was sad she’d just burst out laughing,” she said.

The Mt Barker girl said she wanted to do her part to help kids have a good go at life in the face of a cancer diagnosis.

“I think that it is unfair that cancer can affect and have such a bad impact on young children’s lives and their family and friends,” she said.

“I want every child and adult to have a close to normal life.

“I want to put smiles on their faces and hair on their heads.”

Georgia set off with a $50 fundraising goal, but has since smashed that target with her Cancer Council fundraising page surpassing $1000.

Her long locks will be chopped off on October 24 and made into a wig to donate.

“I have been growing it since I was two so it is going to be really hard to imagine myself with short hair,” she said.

“These past few weeks I have been brushing it and brushing it because I just want it all gone.”

Georgia’s mother, Kristy Roberts, said their family and people across the Great Southern had rallied behind her daughter.

“I am proud of her. She has brought me to tears a few times,” she said. “She is very brave.”

Donation boxes will soon be available at Mt Barker Community College and the Mt Barker Newsagency.

To donate, visit bit.ly/3cDf0Pn.