Artemis Paterson, 11, chops her 3ft-long hair off in her first ever haircut

By
Rebecca Seales

16:29 EST, 1 April 2012

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17:59 EST, 1 April 2012

An 11-year-old girl with hair almost as long as she is tall has lopped off her fairytale locks for the first time in her life – so it can be made into wigs for children with cancer and alopecia.

Artemis Paterson, 11, experienced her first ever haircut on her school stage in front of her friends, teachers and family.

The Year 6 pupil from Milton Primary School in Cambridge decided to give her 3ft-long hair the chop on behalf of the Little Princess Trust after reading about the girls and boys who suffer from hair loss.

Crowning glory: Artemis Paterson had never had a hair cut before deciding to donate her long hair to the Little Princess Trust, a children's wig charity

Crowning glory: Artemis Paterson had never had a hair cut before deciding to donate her long hair to the Little Princess Trust, a children’s wig charity

After the chop: The 11-year-old shows off her 3ft-long hair, which will now be used to make wigs for children suffering from cancer and alopecia

After the chop: The 11-year-old shows off her 3ft-long hair, which will now be used to make wigs for children suffering from cancer and alopecia

The big moment: Artemis lost her long locks during a school assembly, with hairdresser Reno Polito doing the honours

The big moment: Artemis lost her long locks during a school assembly, with hairdresser Reno Polito doing the honours

Artemis, whose hair used to fall to her knees, said: ‘It was quite scary and a bit of a shock when I got told I was doing it in front of the school.

‘I thought it was a nice way to have my hair chopped off. It was getting in the way and I did not want it to be put in the bin.

‘So I thought it would be nice for it to be used by kids who don’t have hair because of cancer or alopecia. I’m glad I got rid of it and it can go to a good cause.’

Her mother Svetlana Paterson said she was ‘incredibly proud’ of her daughter.

She said: ‘The fact that it was all her decision makes me really happy. It was brilliant.’

The
Little Princess Trust was founded in 2005 by the parents, school and
friends of Hannah Tarplee, who died in 2005 after being diagnosed with kidney cancer.

It now funds specialist wigs for children coping with hair loss.

The charity recently hit the headlines when it donated its 1,000th wig at the end of last year.

The precious headpiece went to a nine-year-old girl from London who had recently been diagnosed with cancer and who began chemotherapy the week before Christmas.

Speaking at the time, Mr Tarplee said his daughter had found the loss of her hair especially upsetting, and that the charity now aimed to ease the sadness of children in a similar position.

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
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What a lovely little angel you are! God bless you and your family

Wow, what a lovely thing to do! Well done that girl.

What a lovely story and what a lovely girl..
Artemis I am sure the 9 year old who received your precious headpiece will think about you many a time
Artemis you could teach many an adult on how to give so that another is happy…I am sure your parents are very proud of you ….and you should be very proud of your gift to another

Good for her, is nice to see she has donated it.

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