{"id":166173,"date":"2017-11-15T10:10:00","date_gmt":"2017-11-15T08:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/166173\/taylor-is-determined-to-make-a-difference\/"},"modified":"2017-11-15T16:04:41","modified_gmt":"2017-11-15T14:04:41","slug":"taylor-is-determined-to-make-a-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2017\/11\/15\/taylor-is-determined-to-make-a-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"Taylor is determined to make a difference"},"content":{"rendered":"

While many nine-year-old girls focus on their favourite toy, school or spending time with their friends, Taylor Matthyser from Elspark is slowly making a difference in the community.<\/p>\n

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Taylor Matthyser (9), from Elspark, is determined to make a difference in the lives of those fighting cancer by cutting and donating her hair. This is the second time this determined young girl has donated her ponytail. For now she will enjoy her short hair until it is long enough to donate again.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Taylor was just four years old when she first decided to grow her hair for Cansa, and her determination has not wavered in the years that followed.<\/p>

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The GCN first met Taylor when she donated her first ponytail to Cansa at the tender age of seven.<\/p>\n

She made the decision to donate her hair when her grandmother was diagnosed with cancer.<\/p>

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\u201cMy mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and, during the cancer treatments, she lost her hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife and I explained to Taylor what was happening and it was then she decided to grow her hair,\u201d said Steven, Taylor\u2019s father.<\/p>\n

Sadly Taylor\u2019s grandmother passed away, but Taylor remained determined to grow her hair.<\/p>\n

Her donated ponytail was taken to Cansa\u2019s head office in 2015 where it was made into a wig.<\/p>\n

This experience inspired Taylor and no sooner had she sealed the Ziplock bag than she began growing her hair once again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI decided to grow and cut my hair again because there are girls out there who can\u2019t grow their own hair and I can grow my hair as long as Rapunzel\u2019s if I want to,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want my hair to be donated to a little girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In October this year she was finally ready to cut her hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to have the event in October as it is a month when the focus is on women\u2019s cancers and Taylor started this journey because of her grandmother,\u201d explained Charlene, Taylor\u2019s mother.<\/p>\n

The family decided to get the community involved and held a Cansa event at the Elsburg sports grounds, during which Taylor and Charlene cut off their ponytails.<\/p>\n

\u201cTaylor donated 26cm and I donated 28cm of hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were the only people who donated ponytails at this year\u2019s event, but Steven shaved his head and Taylor\u2019s brother Jordan had his hair spray-painted,\u201d said Charlene.<\/p>\n

Community members who attended the event were able to show their support by spraying their hair and Taylor had fun helping to colour people\u2019s hair and looks forward to doing it again next year.<\/p>\n

The family thanked Consol Glass in Wadeville, Spar in Sunward Park, Laser Lipo House, Wit Blitz Performance, Medizone, Kinetic Signs and Graphics and the Elsburg Eagles Rugby Club for their assistance in making the event a success.<\/p>\n

The family is now turning their attention to next year\u2019s event as they aim to make this an annual event.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recently joined the Moon Chasers SMC and together we are starting to plan for next year,\u201d said Charlene.<\/p>\n

When asked if she\u2019ll stop donating her hair, Taylor firmly stated, \u201cI will continue to donate hair until I die.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t push her to make the donations, but will support her 100 per cent until the day she says you know what, this isn\u2019t for me,\u201d said Charlene proudly.<\/p>\n

Taylor is now challenging the community to get involved and is encouraging more people to grow and donate their hair for the cause that is so close to her heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cCut your hair for Cansa because together we can make a difference,\u201d she said<\/p>\n

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