Ryder's long locks chopped off for charity

Ryder Johnstone, 7, of Evandale can’t remember his last haircut, because he was only four years of age.

So it was little wonder he sat still and quiet at Aspen Hair Salon in South Launceston yesterday, mesmerised by the process as his long, wavy locks were plaited and cut off, tied off and prepared to be posted to interstate charities that make wigs for those suffering from hair loss due to medical reasons. (Watch a video of the full process here)

With his siblings Charlotte 8, Savannah, 4, and Hunter, 3, watching on with fascination and regularly commenting on which television star he was starting to look like, Ryder was transformed with a short back and sizes plus a lightning bolt cut into one side, and he even received a certificate of recognition.

And it was well deserved.

Three years ago Ryder saw a little girl with no hair and asked his mum McKenzie why she was bald.

When he learned that she had cancer he declared he wanted to grow his hair and donate it to her.

No-one expected him to follow through except his mum.

"I knew he would, I never had a doubt in my mind," she said.

“But the deal was if he was going to grow it he had to wash it!”.

“He’s been so determined, and that’s despite being teased at school about his hair - he amazes me.”

Ryder’s dad Jack, who is equally as proud of their son, by the third year was begging him to cut it off, even offering him $100, and a Playstation, and still Ryder stood firm.

Month after month, year after year, he refused to have a haircut.

Not that it’s been easy for the youngster.

“I didn’t like it when I was playing tag, and kids would tag my hair and say I’m ‘it’,” Ryder said.

“And one day when I was swimming, a frog got stuck in it!”

“But I really wanted it to be long enough to give to a girl who didn’t have any hair, or someone like my cousin’s mum who has breast cancer.”

Finally, just before he returned to school at St Leonards Primary this week, he decided it was time.

“I’m doing front flips on the trampoline, and I keep treading on my hair,” he said.

“And it does get in my face when I run too, but I don’t let it slow me down – I always win.”

Ryder is a talented sprinter, and he also loves swimming.

Now he’s looking sharp with a short, modern haircut.

He said he’s not going to miss having to wash and brush it so much and declared that his hair stylist, Teleah Fewin, was nowhere near as rough as his mum when she brushed his hair.

“We’re a sustainable salon and we get quite a few people come in to donate their hair to the Australian Alopecia Foundation and other charities,” Teleah said.

“Ryder has had more than 37cm of hair cut off and it’s a beautiful colour – it will get posted off tomorrow with other hair that we’ve saved.”

To make sure his haircut achieved as much good as possible, Ryder also registered for the World’s Greatest Shave, to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation.

So far he’s surpassed his goal and raised more than $1500.

Anyone wanting to donate can go to www.worldsgreatestshave.com/fundraisers/ryderjohnstone