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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Lydia Nelner's brown hair currently reaches her waist but in a few weeks it will end just inches from her scalp.

Lydia Nelner, 6, stands beside a poster advertising her fundraising campaign, Lydia's Locks. Lydia is cutting off her ponytail on Feb. 16 and hopes to raise $1,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

On Feb. 16 Lydia is cutting her hair and donating it to the Canadian Cancer Society to be used for wigs for cancer patients. Lydia has started a campaign called Lydia's Locks to raise $1,000 to go along with her hair. It's an ambitious goal for a six-year-old.

"We have to fight cancer," said Lydia.

Lydia's parents Trudy and Dennis Nelner of Fort Simpson are supporting Lydia in her fundraising goal. Ever since she was old enough to understand, Trudy has introduced Lydia to the idea of growing her hair and then donating it. Trudy has shown her daughter pictures of people who lost their hair to chemotherapy and who wear wigs.

The choice to cut her hair, however, is Lydia's, said Trudy.

"(Lydia is) so aware for her age," said Trudy, adding Lydia's Locks is about raising awareness about cancer in children and to increase children's knowledge about cancer.

"Everyone is so plagued by the disease," she said.

Trudy said the campaign will also demonstrate that anyone at any age can set a goal and achieve it.

"It will show her the value as she gets older," she said.

As of Jan. 28, Lydia had gathered approximately $200 in donations. The family started taking pledges two weeks ago and will continue until March 16, a month after the haircut.

The family has placed posters around the village to raise awareness of the campaign and held a garage sale on Jan. 28. The family also plans to sell homemade cookies and Lydia is preparing to go canvassing for donations.

All of the money raised will go directly to the Canadian Cancer Society and anyone who donates more than $20 will receive a tax receipt, Trudy said.

Events involving cutting and donating hair or shaving heads are popular ways to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society, said Lorna Deveau, a revenue development and volunteer resources co-ordinator for the society based in Yellowknife.

Last year in Yellowknife there were between 10 and 15 fundraising events that involved hair in some way. Deveau, however, said Lydia is the youngest person she's seen pledge to cut her hair in the one and a half years she's been with the society.

"It's a great thing that she wants to help," Deveau said.

Wigs can be important for some cancer patients.

"It's a traumatic time for them. It's very difficult," she said.

The society has a wig bank in Yellowknife that can be accessed for free by cancer patients. To donate their hair for wigs people have to have at least six to eight inches to cut off.

Lydia said she thinks someone who's lost their hair will be happy to have hers.

"It's getting too long," she said.

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