Headbanging halts for top cause

Ronald Jenkins of Brassall will shear his locks for the World’s Greatest Shave fundraiser.

David Nielsen

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• Brave family to chop off locks

RONALD Jenkins is going to sacrifice headbanging in order to raise money for leukemia research this March.

The Brassall father will have his long hair, which runs all the way down his back, shaved off in mid-March.

"Last time I cut my hair, the thing I missed the most was when Bohemian Rhapsody came on and headbanging to it just wasn't the same," Mr Jenkins said.

"I've had long hair for the majority of my adult life, and the last time I had it short would've been six or seven years ago."

"It's a small sacrifice to make though, to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation."

The analytical chemist said he decided to sign up for the World's Greatest Shave after chatting with a man who helped his parents to recover from the 2011 floods.

"It all started when I was chatting to a gentleman in a pub out at Glamorganvale about leukemia and how he lost his wife to the disease many years ago" Mr Jenkins said.

"That's when I decided to do it.

"Also, it turns out that he's a Lions member, and the Lions helped my parents a lot after they were flooded out in Fernvale, so it's like giving back to the community after they helped my parents."

Mr Jenkins has set his fundraising goal at $1000, but has already raised $500 in pledges and donations since registering in mid-January.

"I want to raise as much as possible, so more than $1000 would be great," he said.

To help him raise money, visit worldsgreatestshave.com, click on Search for a shaver and type in Ronald Jenkins.

Last year more than 100,000 people participated in World's Greatest Shave with 40,000 Queenslanders joining the party.

Be brave - shave

• World's Greatest Shave is the Leukaemia Foundation's biggest annual fundraiser.
• It was first held in 1999 when it raised $1.2 million in Queensland.
• Last year it generated $3.7 million across the state and this year's goal is $4 million in Queensland and more than $15 million nationwide.