A Hallam man has ceremoniously cut ties with his long locks, giving them the chop to raise awareness for Myositis.
Matt Catterson made the brave commitment at the Mulgrave Country Club on Tuesday 28 February, supported by friends and family.
The inspiration for the brave act was his cousin Rachel Simmons, who was diagnosed with Polymyositis in 2019.
Myositis is a group of rare conditions where the body’s immune system turns against itself and destroys healthy muscle tissue instead of building new muscle tissue.
It’s estimated about five in 100,000 Australians suffer from the group of Myositis conditions.
For Rachel, her condition means she struggles with daily symptoms like debilitating muscle weakness, severe bone, joint and muscle pain, muscle twitches, tremors and cramps, chest pain and palpitations, migraines, neuropathy, swollen glands, cardiopulmonary complications, dizziness, difficulty breathing, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing/eating/drinking), difficulty talking, arthritis/degeneration, brain fog, whole system inflammation, vascular complications, insomnia due to pain and medications and significant fatigue and exhaustion.
Rachel now relies on Australian blood donations for immunoglobulin therapy every few weeks in hospital for the rest of her life.
Emergency hospital visits still happen as well and she regularly uses disability aides such as a wheelchair, walking sticks, shower chairs and neck braces.
Matt said it wasn’t until he embarked on a family trip to Queensland, where he stayed with Rachel, that he realised the impact Myositis can have on the body.
“At times I wasn’t even aware because she did such a good job at masking the pain and the misery,” he recalled.
“The next day she was bedridden and I couldn’t understand but think like the flip of a switch, how different today was for her.”
After growing his hair to the longest length it has ever been, Matt decided he could do his part in supporting the cause.
“I decided I could do my part in supporting three great causes by raising awareness through having a fundraising event where my hair is cut, with the proceeds and his hair to the Cancer Council of Victoria.
Local hairdresser Simone Riley, along with her associate Tony, prepared Matt’s hair and assisted a number of successful bidders to cut the ponytail before giving him a final haircut.
Matt and his supporters managed to raise over $3000 through the event.
Donations to Matt’s mighty makeover are still being accepted; head to myositis.org.au/matts-mighty-makeover-for-myositis-donations-page/
Myositis Association Australia is seeking to raise awareness that will lead to support and research into treatment and possibly some form of cure.
People do not have to have the disease to be a member and the association is grateful for any donation, it said.
Membership to the Myositis Association Australia is just $15 a year, for more information visit myositis.org.au.
