Mared Carrod, a compassionate schoolgirl from Powys, decided to make a difference in the lives of young girls facing hair loss. She embarked on a journey to grow her hair with the intent of donating it to a charitable cause.
During her research, Mared discovered the Herefordshire-based charity, The Little Princess Trust. It became clear that this organization creates wigs using natural hair and each wig production costs the trust between £550 and £700. Notably, The Little Princess Trust is one of the UK’s leading funders of childhood cancer research.
Mared’s heartfelt initiative took a significant turn on her 10th birthday when she announced her plan to the local community of Rhayader. She pledged to cut 30 centimeters of her hair and donate it to The Little Princess Trust. Additionally, Mared sought sponsorship to help fund the creation of a wig for a young person.
The response from the community was overwhelming. Donations began pouring in, and within a mere 10 days, Mared had raised a remarkable sum of £1,350.
Expressing her motivation, Mared stated, “I knew I wanted to cut my hair and send it to The Little Princess Trust to give a poorly little girl a wig, to make her feel better, until her own hair grows back.”
Mared’s mother, Julie, spoke of her daughter’s determination and compassion, saying, “Mared is a very kind and thoughtful girl, determined to see things through to the end. Youngsters face many challenges, but this heartwarming achievement truly stands out.”
Inspired by Amy Dowden on Strictly Come Dancing, who appeared without her wig after her cancer treatment, Mared’s commitment to the cause became even stronger. While sponsorship was initially just an idea Mared had read about, the outpouring of support from the Rhayader community, friends, families, and individuals exceeded all expectations. The collective effort raised enough funds to create not one but two wigs.
Julie expressed her gratitude, acknowledging that “thank you” alone cannot capture the depth of appreciation for the remarkable response to Mared’s appeal.
