BY LUKE VOOGT
OCEAN Grove’s Eliza Ansell added a rainbow of colour to her hair this month, raising $1,522 for leukaemia research so far in memory of her grandfather.
Eliza said her friends thought it was “pretty cool” that she got to dye her seven different colours.
“They think I’m doing a good thing,” she said, midway through dyeing her hair at Salon Utopia, on 17 March.
Eliza was inspired by her Pa, Brian Gorman, who had fought leukaemia and lymphoma for the last 10 years.
About month ago Brian, 69, was winning the battle and his leukaemia was in remission.
However, tragically, he died from an unrelated (suspected) heart attack on 14 February, while out fishing in his boat.
Eliza’s mum Olivia said Brian was a generous man who always put his family first.
“My dad was big on volunteering for the community,” she said.
“He loved Eliza to bits.”
Eliza, 12, decided to colour her beloved hair for the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave, rather than part with it.
“I like my hair,” she said.
The Grade 6 Star of the Sea student has easily surpassed her original target of $400, and her dad Nick couldn’t be prouder.
“She has done the whole thing off her own back which we consider pretty special,” he said.
“She has bravely continued on with her commitment to (cancer research) in his honour.”
Eliza thanked Wallington Park for donating horse rides for her to raffle, as well as anyone who donated.
To support Eliza’s cause, visit the World’s Greatest Shave sponsor page and search for Eliza Ansell.
