Andrea Fallon proudly shows off the 12 inch plait of hair she donated to the Rapunzel Foundation.

Glasson schoolgirl Andrea at the top of Santa's good list

One name at the top of Santa's good list this year is Andrea Fallon from Glasson. The kind-hearted nine-year-old raised over €600 for charity by donating her hair, and is still appealing to people to consider making a donation to the LauraLynn Foundation.

Earlier this month, Andrea, who is from Portlick in Glasson and is a pupil at Tubberclair National School, made the decision to donate 12 inches of her lovely long hair to the Rapunzel Foundation, who turn the donated hair into wigs for young adults and children suffering hair loss due to cancer treatment or alopecia.

According to her proud mother, Catherine, Andrea came up with the decision to donate her hair “by herself, and not for anyone in particular” and in the run-up to having her hair cut she looked after it “very carefully” to ensure that it was in perfect condition.

She also set up an idonate fundraising page to raise funds for the Locks of Love for LauraLynn – Hair Donation Fundraiser, and to date she has raised in excess of €600 for LauraLynn. The charity allows children who have life-limiting conditions to spend quality time with their families in an environment where they can play games, sing songs and create happy memories without having to contend with hospitals and medication.

The nurses and care team in LauraLynn look after everything, and they pride themselves on allowing “children to have fun being children again.”

Andrea Fallon is delighted to be able to help not one, but two worthy charities - Rapunzel and Lauralynn - who look after very sick children and young people, and says she decided to donate her hair “to be helpful to others who need help, and to make their lives a little bit better.”

She says she would like to see everyone “show kindness to others” not just at Christmas, but right throughout the year, and she is especially grateful to her family and friends and to her classmates in Tubberclair NS who have been “so kind and generous” in showing support and giving donations to LauraLynn.

Anyone wishing to donate to Andrea Fallon's fundraising drive for LauraLynn can do so by logging onto: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/AndreaFallon