Ethan Barrell is a recognisable figure on the NSW Riverina sporting field, with long red hair he has not cut since he was seven years old.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 12-year-old was diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma in mid 2016 while on an outback family holiday with his parents and sister Ella.
He lost his hair through six months of intensive chemotherapy, and was hesitant to cut it once it began to grow back.
Now on the cusp of starting high school at Kildare College in Wagga Wagga, he has decided now is the time.
"It was getting a bit annoying to brush .. it gets super knotty and it takes so much time," he said.
A keen sportsperson, he said it was getting hard to maintain while swimming and playing a long list of sports including cricket, squash and soccer.
On January 27, Ethan and his family will head down to Wish Hair and Beauty, where he will have it cut short for a fundraiser.
"I'm a bit excited because I haven't had short hair for four years and yeah, I want short hair," Ethan said.
He said the funds raised would be split equally between Ronald McDonald House Westmead, Camp Quality and Country Hope Wagga, three children's cancer charities which helped him and his family through his treatment.
"Ronald McDonald house supported Ella and Dad mostly and Mum when I was in hospital and Mum and Dad were swapping over each night to stay with me in my room ... if we had to use hotel accommodation it would've cost a lot more than it did," he said.
Ethan's mother Rachael said the family had benefitted greatly from all three charities, with Camp Quality providing Ethan with "a lot of opportunities" including a photo in their calendar.
"Country Hope helped us out just taking the kids away on camps like they do which is great, it gives us a bit of a retreat," she said.
The family has set up a GoFundMe page and will be donating Ethan's hair to Variety to use to make wigs.
Ethan thanked those who had already donated.
"A lot of people have contributed and I'm very grateful for that, because then it will be split between all those three charities," he said.