Ruby Sarsfield

Why I want to take part

I’m shaving my head — not because I lost my hair during cancer treatment, but because I’m choosing to start fresh.

I’m doing it as part of Shave for a Cure, to raise funds and awareness for people living with blood cancer. And I’ve chosen a date that couldn’t be more personal:

I’ll be shaving on Matariki, the Māori New Year — a time for remembrance, reflection, and renewal. It’s a time to honour those we’ve lost, to celebrate resilience, and to set intentions for what’s ahead.

Even more meaningfully, it will be exactly one year since I was told I was in remission.

This shave is my way of marking that moment — shedding what I’ve carried, facing what I’ve survived, and stepping into the next chapter on my terms.

Every day, 8 people are diagnosed with blood cancer. I was one of them. And I’m still here.

Please donate if you can — your support funds the care and research that saves lives.