Growing your hair long is a right of passage. For one local boy his long locks has become a way to give back to those in need.
Ten-year-old Gage Andreas Marcel Archer, a 5th grade student at Our Lady of Lourdes School in West 麻豆精选, is growing out his hair and raising money for the Children鈥檚 Hospital.
鈥淚鈥檓 raising money for Balding for Dollars and all the money鈥檚 going to the Children鈥檚 Hospital in Vancouver,鈥� Archer told the Capital News. 鈥淚鈥檓 doing it for my aunt and cousin because they had cancer when they were younger and they had to use wigs, so I decided to do it.鈥�
Archer started growing out his hair in June 2016 and will cut it all off in May 2018 in Vancouver to have his hair turned into wigs for cancer patients in need. Joining him will be his cousin Alana, who is a cancer survivor and gets her hair cut every May. Archer鈥檚 sister, Abigayle, has also been inspired to grow out her hair and donate it at the same event.
鈥淢y niece started the Balding for Dollars, so then I went from that and I thought, 鈥榳ell let鈥檚 do that with Gage as well,鈥欌�� said Archer鈥檚 鈥淕rammi鈥� Lori Rapp. 鈥淚 did up the Go Fund Me page and I鈥檝e been blasting it all over my Facebook and Twitter.鈥�
The Go Fund Me page originally had a $500 goal, but after passing the goal in the first week they decided to raise the amount to $1,000 to continue raising money for Children鈥檚 Hospital. The campaign will continue until Archer鈥檚 hair is cut in May.
鈥淛ust a regular haircut, I guess,鈥� Archer said when asked how short his hair will be cut. 鈥淓very single time I get a haircut it feels weird, like, 鈥榦h my goodness where did all my hair go?鈥欌��
With the support from family and friends raising money, Archer has still met some challenges.
鈥淚鈥檝e been bullied at school, saying that I鈥檓 transgender and gay, but I just ignore them,鈥� Archer said. 鈥淚 like my hair how it is and I don鈥檛 really care what they think because they鈥檙e not me and I鈥檓 not them.鈥�
Archer also suffers from eczema and asthma, which has led to bullying and challenges in his day-to-day life.
鈥淪ome people also bully me about that, saying that I look weird, but also like I said it鈥檚 not really anything; it鈥檚 just normal for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 couple weeks ago I couldn鈥檛 walk, since I had staph infections all over my feet, so I couldn鈥檛 go to school, but it doesn鈥檛 really bother me as much because I鈥檓 used to it.鈥�
Being able to raise money for the Children鈥檚 Hospital has inspired Archer to tackle other projects in the future, but for right now he鈥檚 not sure what.
鈥淭his is so brand new,鈥� Rapp said. 鈥淲e just started Oct. 4 and within the first week we raised $500. Now today that鈥檚 $785 within two weeks.鈥�
Despite being bullied for his long hair, it has not hindered his drive to continue his cause.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 amazing for doing it,鈥� Rapp said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got a heart of gold anyways. If I start talking about him too much I鈥檒l cry. I鈥檓 very proud of him.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 just happy that I鈥檓 doing it,鈥� Archer said, 鈥渁nd I don鈥檛 care how people think.鈥�
As of publication, Gage鈥檚 GoFundMe page has earned over $1,000 and counting.
