Cropped hair-dos - and a real sense of selflessness and generosity - were on full display as Canberra's top fundraisers from this year's World's Greatest Shave for the Leukaemia Foundation were honoured at the John James Village on Friday.
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Many had very personal reasons for taking part, including losing loved ones to blood cancer or being diagnosed with a disease themselves.
Canberra participants raised a record-breaking $520,000 as part of the $16 million raised nationally.
ACT Government urban planner and mum-of-two Helena Seagrott was the highest individual fundraiser in Canberra and 31st nationally, raising $25,000, including a $20,000 donation from the L.E. Wilkins Fund.
Ms Seagrott shaved her head in honour of her late brother-in-law Tyson, her husband John's youngest brother, who died in 2015 at the age of 12 after being diagnosed with leukaemia.
Ms Seagrott, of Ainslie, also wanted to show her daughters; Freya, four, and Grace, one; that there was a "tangible way to make a difference". And she didn't have a problem with shaving off her long hair.
"It meant nothing compared to what people had been through," she said.
The Canberra Grammar School Eggheads was the highest team fundraisers, the year 12 students raising $27,000, the most amount ever raised by a Canberra school. They were followed by graduates from the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science in second place and Radford College in third place.
William Herse, Lachie Martin and Dion Tsarpalias represented the 48 Grammar students and two teachers who took part.
"It was a great opportunity for us to give back to the community," Dion said.
The second-highest individual fundraiser was Bindhu Jexin who raised $13,560 after her nine-year-old son Tom was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was four.
The Coombs mum said she wanted to help other families who have gone through the same journey, Tom now in remission.
"He's good, back to school and into all the activities," she said.
Jozica Kostrica was diagnosed with leukaemia on March 2 this year - and less than a fortnight later took part in the World's Greatest Shave. She was the third highest individual fundraiser in the ACT, raising more than $7500.
The medical receptionist from Evatt has been hit hard by her treatment, the first cycle of chemotherapy leaving her immobilised and having to learn how to walk again. She is on her third cycle of the treatment.
Her 17-year-old daughter Mateja was in awe of her mother fundraising while coping with the cancer.
"To see mum go through her own journey and still want to help someone else, it's just breathtaking and I'm so proud of her," Mateja said.
The Leukaemia Foundation's Belinda Barnier praised all the fundraisers, saying the foundation received no ongoing government funding so relied on the generosity of the community.
She said 35 people were diagnosed with blood cancer in Australia every day.
Ms Barnier said the foundation was determined to "be the best advocates we can be for patients, research and access to the latest therapies".
She said in just one example of the foundation's contribution, its volunteer-run bus had transferred more than 15,000 patients in the last year, covering 1.5 million kilometres.
Another top fundraiser was 10-year-old Ella Dunn who shaved her head for her grandmother who has blood cancer.
The little girl said she shaved her head "because I chose to, not because I have to. Some people don't have a choice".
