Kyabram’s Yael Fry, 23, has shaved off his hair, which he had been growing for nine years, for this year’s World’s Greatest Shave, to raise funds for the Leukaemia Foundation.
He smashed his fundraising target of $5000, raising more than $20,100, making him the top shaver in Victoria, and the fourth-highest fundraiser in Australia.
In 2017, Mr Fry was admitted to the Olivia Newton-John cancer centre with suspected leukaemia.
“I saw how sick people get and that sort of stuck with me for a long time,” he said.
He was diagnosed with another blood condition which he is managing, but he saw the worst of what could happen to those diagnosed with blood cancer.
Fifty Australians are diagnosed with blood cancer every day; one person every 28 minutes. Every day 15 people will lose their battle to this disease.
Mr Fry feels lucky to have avoided the dreaded diagnosis of cancer, but knows that many of those who he met during his time in hospital are not so lucky.
“It’s the uncertainty of what’s going to happen,’’ he said.
“You’re left in the dark, you know you’re going to get sick, but you don’t know how sick or if you’re going to recover.
“When you hear the word cancer ... well you always think the worst.”
Blood cancer does not discriminate and more than 110,000 people are living with blood cancer or a related blood disorder in Australia today.
It can develop in anyone, anywhere, anytime — from young infants and adolescents to adults of all backgrounds and genders. It’s the most commonly diagnosed childhood cancer.
Just last year, Mr Fry attended three funerals of friends and colleagues who passed away from cancer. He said they were just too young.
“It’s my way of paying my respects by doing the World’s Greatest Shave,” he said.
There are no screening programs available for blood cancers and there is no way to prevent blood cancer through lifestyle change.
In the past 10 years, cases of blood cancer have increased by 40 per cent and now blood cancers combined are now the second most diagnosed cancers in Australia and the second most common cause of cancer-related death in the country, according to the Leukaemia Foundation.
Mr Fry’s seen the harrowing struggle with cancer his friends and people he shared the ward with go through, but it’s just as hard for the families who support them through the toughest time in their lives.
The money raised will help the Leukaemia Foundation support families who are supporting their suffering loved ones through the awful and drawn out process of fighting blood cancer.
“When I was sick my family was put in a hotel room that was all paid for (by the Leukaemia Foundation) and they were given all the support they could have got,” Mr Fry said.
Mr Fry is hoping his commitment to shaving for blood cancer will inspire others to sign up and raise much-needed funds and awareness of this disease that affects 110,000 Australians.
“I want to thank everyone who donated,’’ he said.
“I’m glad I did it, it’s a good cause and hopefully one day the money raised helps a few families.”
The foundation provides personalised support from highly-trained blood cancer support co-ordinators for patients and their loved ones alongside a range of health and wellbeing services.
The foundation assists with accommodation near major hospitals around Australia and help getting to and from the many appointments that come with a blood cancer diagnosis.
To donate, head to the World’s Greatest Shave website.