Madi's Big Chop and Sarcoma Research Fundraiser!

On Monday 6th December 2021, I will be donating my hair to create a wig for young girls that have lost their hair due to cancer and alopecia. In conjunction with this, I am hoping to raise funds for cancer research. This is my chance to give back to the community and pay forward the generosity shown to my family and I during my cancer treatment.

My Story

I was fifteen-years-old when I was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma cancer. This is a rare form of cancer that affects muscle tissue, mostly in children and adolescents. While I was super lucky that mine didn’t spread, my treatment plan was aggressive. I faced several surgeries, 43 weeks of chemotherapy, and 4 weeks of radiation. I was told years later that I almost lost my leg.

The Importance of Wigs

One of the worst parts of cancer treatment is the hair loss. For a teenage girl, your hair is everything to you - that is how you identify yourself. If it wasn’t for my human-hair wigs, I would not have gone out in public. I definitely would not have attended school or my semi-formal. The only time I did take it off was at home, hospital, and one day out on the boat at Tangalooma. Having a human-hair wig meant that I could cut, dye, and style them to my liking, make the wig as close to my old hair as possible. It made me feel confident and like myself.

Why Am I Raising Money?

Many people who are diagnosed with a sarcoma aren’t as lucky as me. The 5-year survival rates for adults and children with bone and soft tissue sarcomas are estimated at 70% and 67% respectively. In 2021 alone, my oncologist Dr Rick Walker at the Princess Alexandra Hospital has diagnosed one 17-year-old, two 19-year-olds, and one 21-year-old. Some of them are in a far-worse position than I was, and on top of the usual chemotherapy and radiation options, are participating in clinical trials like immunotherapy in hope of better outcomes. However, not all of them will qualify for these experimental clinical trials. Sarcoma research receives significantly less funding than other types of cancers due to the rarity and diversity of sarcoma tumours. A lot more research is required to develop better diagnostic and treatment options.

This is why I have decided to also raise money for Australian and New Zealand Sarcoma Association (ANZSA).

Where will the donations be going to?

The ANZSA is the peak body for sarcoma research, education and awareness; and dedicates 100% of its donations to high-quality sarcoma research and clinical trials to save and improve lives. Their vision is to improve early diagnosis, treatment options, outcomes and quality of life of patients with sarcomas and related tumours through clinical and supportive care research and clinical trials operating to benchmarked best practice.

Donations can go towards:

• $100 – data management for clinical trials

• $200 – innovative laboratory studies

• $300 – analysis of clinical trial samples

Find out more about the research projects here: https://sarcoma.org.au/pages/research

Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause. It means so much to me. I am so grateful to be here today and to have this opportunity to pay it forward. Every donation, no matter how small, will help immensely. I hope this raises a much-needed awareness for sarcoma patients and helps them get the treatment they deserve.

Lots of love,

Madi