By Cam Lucadou-Wells
IT’S been a kind of reverse-Samson effect for newly-shorn St Catherine’s Primary student Liam Campos.
Rather than having his powers dimmed by shaving off his long locks, Liam has raised more than $1500 for men’s health and grown in stature.
To loud cheers and applause by school mates, Liam shed two years of hair growth as Casey mayor Sam Aziz, councillor Amanda Stapledon, teacher Rebecca Keating, his father Fred and his brother Hayden shaved him down on 30 November.
The event coincided with the quiet and determined young man’s 11th birthday.
Liam had well exceeded his goal of $1000 for the fund-raiser – which he chose to perform after researching the deeds of the men’s health charity Movember Foundation.
Liam’s proud mother Joanne said his compassion had been inspired by seeing his sister Francesca’s serious and complex battle with quadriplegia cerebral palsy.
“The fact that each day she is with us is simply a blessing meant his whole outlook on life seemed to change,” Ms Campos said.
She said Liam has different sensibilities to most.
“For him to go out of his way to do this … others his age wouldn’t think of doing it.”
Orginally, Liam wanted to raise money for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance in support of Francesca, but at the time, his hair wasn’t long enough.
After becoming aware of the Movember Foundation’s campaigns on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, men’s mental health and suicide prevention, he set up the shaving event at school.
With the help of Ms Campos’s Casey Council colleagues, friends, family and school students and staff, Liam easily exceeded his target.
Cr Aziz, fresh from using the clippers, said Liam was an “incredible young man and is to be congratulated on making such a huge commitment to
help others“.
“He is a great example of how young people in our great City of Casey are making a contribution to the community, even at such a young age.”
