Ballinrobe student dyes for charity

ALL OVER Robert Biggins is pictured with his mother Mary, hairdresser Assumpta Quinn and his classmates and friends after the completion of his ‘Shave or Dye’ fundraiser.?Pics: Elizabeth Toher

Ballinrobe student dyes for charity


Ciara Galvin

ST Joseph’s NS pupil Robert Biggins shaved and dyed his hair for two very special reasons on Friday last: in remembrance of a former classmate and to raise much-needed funds for cancer research.
The sixth-class pupil from Cloverhill, Ballinrobe, has been growing his hair for the past number of months in preparation to get it dyed purple.
Robert’s friend and classmate Dominik Les passed away from cancer last year. Robert decided to write to Today FM’s Shave or Dye campaign in April to apply for a fundraising pack, and he committed to dying his strawberry blonde hair in order to raise some much needed funds.
Since it started in 2010, Today FM’s Shave or Dye has raised more than €6.1 million for the Irish Cancer Society’s cancer programmes.
Speaking to The Mayo News ahead of the Shave or Dye event in Wavelengths, Ballinrobe, on Friday, Robert’s mother Mary said her son had been talking about doing something to raise money for cancer research for many months. She explained Robert’s awareness of the disease is high, as not only did he lose a friend to the condition, his grandmother is a survivor.  
Mary added that Robert will keep his hair purple for a number of weeks before shaving it off in the hope of raising even more money.
“He’s got great support and raised over €1,700, and the support from classmates has been great. He has submitted a form, and the school is allowing his new hairstyle.”
The sixth-class students held their annual cake sale on Friday last, and they will be donating half of the money raised to Robert’s Shave or Dye fund. The local athletics club has also donated.