School girl gets first ever hair cut to help charity

Eight year old Lily-Jo Shippen had her hair cut to raise money for the Little Princesses Trust.

Little Lily-Jo Shippen, eight, from Church Street, Hebburn, was left “heart-broken” after hearing of Newcastle youngster Kian Musgrove’s battle with neuroblastoma cancer, and decided she wanted to do something to help.

The Hebburn Lakes pupil took the plunge on March 26, at Hebburn Hair Viz, in Hebburn Shopping Centre, donating her locks to The Little Princess Trust in the hope of raising £250 for the charity Caring For Kian.

So far, Lily-Jo has raised about £160 towards her target.

Mum Joanne Durkin, who runs shop Sew in Stitches, also in Hebburn Shopping Centre, said her daughter was excited to have it cut.

She said: “We have just being watching what has been going on at the minute with Kian and when Lily-Jo saw him on the news it broke her heart.

“I initially wasn’t keen on her getting her hair cut, as I love her hair, but she was so determined.”

The youngster whose hair went right down her back, cut her long locks into a bob.

“She has never cut it in her life, she’s only ever had her fringe cut,” mum Joanne said.

“I thought she might have backed out at the last minute with her hair being so long, but she was as good as gold.

“She loved it and the salon treated her like a princess and even put sparkles in her hair.

“We have never met Kian before, but I know his auntie and his family were over the moon when they found out we were doing this.”

Newcastle youngster Kian, three, is fighting neuroblastoma cancer for the second time after relapsing in December last year.

Kian was first diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma in October 2013, when doctors found 27 different tumours in his tiny body.

To battle the rare aggressive illness, Kian underwent various forms of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and operations, to help prevent the cancer coming back, but unfortunately it returned.

His family are trying to raise £555,000 for treatment abroad.

The Little Princess Trust uses donated hair to make wigs for children who have lost their hair while undergoing cancer treatment.

To donate to the charity, visit: Crowdfunding.justgiving.com/cutforkian