Two Portage la Prairie teens have proven that even a simple haircut can make a big impact.
Lucas Citulsky and Nathan Nicholls recently cut off 10 inches of their hair to raise money for Central Plains Cancer Services.
What started as a small idea quickly turned into a fundraiser that nearly reached its $2,500 goal.
“Cancer has been a very prevalent thing in our family, and we felt that it’s not a hard thing to do, so we can very easily cut off almost a foot of hair and then donate it,” notes Citulsky.
The two boys each lost nearly a foot of hair, something they say wasn’t too hard to part with.
Big goals, bigger results
Nicholls says their original plan was to aim high with a goal of raising $2,500.
Their supporters came close to getting them there, with $2,390 already raised and donations still trickling in.
“It feels pretty good,” remarks Citulsky when asked how the community’s response makes him feel.
He mentions that while many donations came from family and friends, support also arrived from people outside their circle, even as far as Ontario.
Turning hair into trips
The fundraising effort does more than just show community spirit. It directly supports people who rely on Central Plains Cancer Services for transportation to treatments in Winnipeg.
David Citulsky, the boys' grandfather, explains the impact.
“Cancer Care put it in perspective for them yesterday when we dropped off the hair. Stated that with the money they've raised, they've covered 78 trips to Winnipeg for treatment,” he continues.
He adds that the reality of those numbers really struck the boys.
The boys have both worn their hair long for several years, making the chop that much more noticeable.
David notes how cancer has touched every part of their extended family.
“Cancer's been so prevalent in our family, gone through all of our family, both sides. Central Plains Cancer Services is such a wonderful thing to have in Portage to help out people who need to go to Winnipeg for treatments. When I convinced them that we're going to do the hair thing and said, 'Let's try and raise a little bit of money with it'', these two fellows got on board, and it's gone a lot better than what we expected. We're hoping to blow the $2,500 out of the water,” he says.
Still collecting donations
The fundraising page remains open, and donations are still welcome.
As Lucas and Nathan continue to see their totals climb, they’re learning first-hand just how powerful a community can be when it rallies behind a cause.
For Central Plains Cancer Services, the efforts of two teenagers mean dozens of local families will be able to access life-saving treatments without the added stress of travel costs.
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