General News
11 September, 2025
Locks of Love: Debbie McLeish cuts hair for a cause
Julie West faced a suite of breast cancer interventions and surgery with stoicism, but when her hair started falling out, something in her broke.
“You’re already losing so much at that point,” she said.
“I’d lost my health and my freedom; my whole life was about reporting to different medical appointments.
“To then lose my hair, within two weeks of starting chemotherapy – it was pretty traumatic.”
With her daughter’s wedding fast approaching, Julie desperately sought a wig that would help her look and feel like herself.
“Grey wigs were very hard to come by, and there certainly weren’t any made from human hair,” she said.
“The synthetic grey ones looked like bright silver jewellery.
“The wig I ended up with wasn’t grey and it was honestly the only human-hair wig I could get.”
Debbie McLeish, who was by her younger sister’s side throughout a long cancer journey, is now working to reduce the burden for other women.
“I decided to grow my hair long and donate it, to have grey wigs made,” Debbie said.
It’s been four years since she made that pledge and Debbie’s natural grey and silver locks now extend well down her back.
Debbie is calling on her community to support the cause.
“I’ll have my ponytail cut off and I’m hoping other people will join me, to raise money for the Cancer Council and also contribute hair for wigs,” she said.
“If your ponytail is at least 20cm long, and can be plaited, that’s the only real requirement.”
Local hairdresser Kiralee Wallis will donate her time to cut Debbie’s hair in front of a crowd at an event at Edenhope football club on Wednesday, October 22.
“There is a $20 entry fee, which will go to the Cancer Council; supper will be provided and Julie will do a presentation, as well as the hair-cutting,” Debbie said.
“It is also an opportunity to come together as a community for an enjoyable evening, and a great reminder to keep on top of all our health checks.”
While Julie remains cancer-free, four years on, treatment is ongoing and there are many side-effects.
“I have finished a three-year course of bone-infusions but I’ll need to take a horrible hormone-blocker, every day, for another five to 10 years,” she said.
“I’ll never get back to the fit person I was before, enjoying running and hiking, because my bones just ache too much.”
In 2023, Julie joined a group that trekked six sections of the Heysen Trail in South Australia, raising $20,000 for cancer research.
This year, she pushed through the pain to complete another challenging hike in Queenstown, New Zealand.
“It might be harder, but I’m still doing it,” she said.
Debbie’s ‘Locks of Love’ event will be staged at the Edenhope Football Club, from 6.30pm on Wednesday, October 22.
If you’d like to donate your ponytail, please get in touch: 0439 357 392.
Scan the QR code to donate.
