Wishful thinking: 12-year-old P.E.I. girl shaving her head for Children's Wish

A Grade 7 student at Amherst Cove Consolidated School in Borden-Carleton, P.E.I., plans to shave her head next week for a good cause.

When 12-year-old Savanna Cutcliffe's sisters donated all the money they got on their birthdays to the Children's Wish Foundation, it gave her an idea for a fundraiser.

I am kind of excited to get the feel of what it is like to have no hair.— Savanna Cutcliffe

"I wanted to shave my head and let an IWK patient at the hospital shave my head. Then I got the idea to do a fundraiser for it so we started fundraising at my school," she said.

She was able to exceed her goal of $500, raising about $1,893 to date. Now she is getting ready to say goodbye to her hair.

Cutcliffe said to raise money, her school hosted days where people could wear something if they made a donation.

"First we did a PJ day and people would bring in a toonie, and that got us over $100," she said.

'It makes me really happy'

Cutcliffe set up a online donation site, and sold chocolates on Valentine's Day which helped her exceed her goal.

"I wasn't expecting to reach the goal and go over it," she said. "And it makes me really happy that a lot of people care about all the children that want a dream, but they got sick. So when I donated to Children's Wish it made me really happy."

Cutcliffe said her family donates to the organization because they think it is important children with illnesses get a chance to do something their families may not be able to afford.

It feels good to be part of helping someone achieve a dream they have, she said.

"It makes me feel really great and I want to do more. So I am hoping I can do this again."

'It will grow back'

Cutcliffe said she has thought about what it will be like to shave her head — but she isn't too worried.

"It's just hair and it will grow back, and I know it will probably grow back quickly, which I'm kind of hoping because then I'll be able to do another fundraiser and possibly shave my head again," she said.

She has also been looking at different types of stylish bandanas.

"One of my teacher's friends is making me one with Mickey Mouse on it," she said.

"I am kind of excited to get the feel of what it is like to have no hair."

Helping hands

Cutcliffe's friends have helped her with the fundraiser by counting money and encouraging others to donate.

Cutcliffe will get her hair cut on Monday at 2 p.m. at her school.

"We're going to have an assembly at our school and we will have a Children's Wish family come and shave my head and receive the cheque we have for them," she said.

The whole fundraiser experience "has been great," Cutcliffe said, with support from family, teachers and students.

"People come to me and they say they are so proud of me, and it makes me really happy that so many people care."

Her mom tells her not a lot of people think about donating money when they are 12 years old.

"This is something that matters to me and something I really wanted to do for a while," she said.

Those who want to donate can go to the Children's Wish Foundation website.

More from CBC P.E.I.