Head shave raises thousands for charity | Bay of Plenty News | Local News in Bay of Plenty

The moment the last tuft of hair was shaved off melanoma sufferer Sharon Sheedy's head, a huge smile broke out on the mother-of-two's face.

She wasn't thinking about being bald, she was thinking of the journey she's travelled over the past 12 months and the generous support from five friends who also shaved their locks.

Mrs Sheedy and her friends - Vanessa Hennessey, Shani Gilmour, Dolores Domenichini, Bec Ansley and Raewyn Stewart - sat in front of about 100 people at Bunnings Warehouse yesterday as National MP Simon Bridges shaved their locks to raise money and awareness for the deadly disease melanoma.

Months of immunotherapy had robbed Mrs Sheedy's long locks but yesterday was a celebration of how far she's come.

Her husband Bryce also shaved his head to support the cause.

Mrs Sheedy, who featured in the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend, said her new do felt "like velvet and not prickly", like she was expecting.

She was proud of her friends' efforts and said they all looked amazing.

Kindergarten teacher Mrs Stewart has had long hair for the past 20 years and the decision to shave two decades worth of growth off was not made lightly. She said she would now have to buy hats, scarves and headbands to keep her head warm this winter.

Mrs Ansley said the act of shaving her head was not a worry - the biggest challenge had been making the decision to do it. Ms Domenichini said it felt liberating to have no hair.

After the shave a few tears were shed but the group was overjoyed with what they had achieved. The women have raised more than $3000 for the Melanoma Foundation of New Zealand.

If you would like to donate to Mrs Sheedy and the group, visit www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/shanigilmour

Related story: Battling the odds: Friends to shed their locks