Taunts inspire boy, 12, to donate hair to charity

Nicknamed Goldilocks at school, 12-year-old Jack ignored playground jibes because he knew that growing his hair was going to change a child's life.

The youngster from Cardiff donated 12 inches (30cm) of his blond curly hair to The Little Princess Trust.

The Herefordshire-based charity provides real hair wigs for children and young people up to the age of 24, who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions.

"There was a lot of teasing in school and name-calling but they've all said now they're sorry. They were very shocked that my hair was gone," he said.

Jack added: "When I decided to cut my hair my mum brought up a charity called The Little Princess Trust, and I thought it was a really nice thing to do."

Jack said he was teased at school for his long hair and was even nicknamed Goldilocks

The charity has marked 20 years since it was founded by the parents of five-year-old Hannah Tarplee, who had lost her hair due to a type of childhood kidney cancer, known as a Wilms tumour.

Hannah passed away from her illness but, during her treatment, her parents noticed how much the loss of her hair had affected her confidence and identity.

They created the charity to ensure other children facing the same treatment would not lose their confidence in the same way.

In the last 20 years, the charity has helped more than 19,000 children and young people, and funded 158 research projects searching for kinder and more effective treatments for all childhood cancers.

Teiva said the charity managed to change her life when she was diagnosed with cancer when she was nine

Teiva, who is now 15-years-old, is an ambassador for the charity after having two of its free wigs during treatment for a form of blood cancer.

She recalled: "When I was nine, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. It was hell. My first question was 'am I going to lose my hair?'

"Thank God they were here as they really changed my life. My first wig was my normal hair which gave me a confidence boost, then I received a pink one after that."

Teiva's hair has since regrown but she has already made plans to donate it after her school prom in June 2026.