Local girl to donate hair in fundraiser

A nine-year-old girl from Athlone is preparing to donate some of her hair in support of a children's charity for the second time in less than three years.

Sophia Sabatini O'Rourke, a third class pupil in Coosan National School, will be getting her hair cut in the coming weeks as part of a fundraiser for Laura Lynn, Ireland's Children's Hospice.

Laura Lynn invites people to donate 12 inches or more of their hair to The Little Princess Trust, who in turn provide real hair wigs to both children and adults who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions.

In addition to donating her hair, Sophia is currently distributing sponsorship cards to help raise money for the Laura Lynn Foundation.

Sophia is a daughter of Hugh O'Rourke and Carla Sabatini. She first heard about the Laura Lynn Foundation from her mother, and eagerly volunteered to get her hair cut for this cause towards the end of 2020, when she was seven years of age.

She raised over €200 on that occasion, and is hoping to surpass that amount this time.

Sophia's teacher and classmates have been supporting her sponsorship effort, and her Dad, Hugh, said it was something she was hoping to continue to do in the years ahead.

"As parents, we are really proud of Sophia and we hope this helps to highlight the Laura Lynn Foundation and the importance of donations to such a good cause," he said.