An 11-year-old boy from the UK has never cut his hair since birth, despite facing mockery from those around him for many years. He has persisted in keeping his long hair because his wish is to one day donate it to a charity organization to help children who have lost their hair due to cancer.
Reports from various media outlets state that Aaron Gill from Scarborough, England, just turned 11 years old in June and is about to start secondary school. Recently, he experienced the feeling of getting a haircut for the first time at a local salon called “Untitled Love,” where his hair, which measured a significant 38 inches (96.5 centimeters) long, was finally cut.
“It was an exciting moment for him,” his 42-year-old father, Adam, shared with the local media. “When he saw his long hair being cut, he was shocked and kept saying that his whole head felt lighter.”
Aaron donated his hair to The Little Princess Trust, a charity established in 2005 dedicated to providing wigs for children suffering from severe hair loss due to cancer.
Additionally, he raised over £2,000 ($2,570) in donations, which will be split between The Little Princess Trust and The Sophie Lancaster Foundation.
The founder of The Little Princess Trust, Wendy Tarplee-Morris, expressed gratitude for Aaron’s generous donation of his hair and his impressive fundraising efforts.
Aaron’s early decision to grow long hair was influenced by his special experiences accompanying his sister Julianna to oncology treatments as a young child.
Now 15 years old, Julianna suffers from a rare autoimmune disease called immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), characterized by a decrease in platelets without an identifiable cause, where the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys platelets.
His father explained, “At that time, he often asked why so many patients were bald, and later he decided to donate his own hair. We did not ask him to do so; it was entirely his personal choice.”
“Over the years, Aaron has dealt with various criticisms, such as why his hair is so long or why he looks like a girl. So, he is very clear that people should stick to their own path without being overly concerned about others’ opinions.”
“I am proud of him; he has a big heart. He always willingly does what he feels should be done, so his determination to keep his hair does not surprise me.”