AT just 11 years old, Nambour’s Tommy Banks has been on a journey inspired by the memory of his cousin.

Dylan Smith, a young warrior, fought t-cell lymphoma and acute myeloid leukaemia valiantly until he was 13. His passing on 16 August 2021 inspired Tommy to grow his hair to fundraise for cancer research and to gift his majestic locks to ‘Wigs for Kids.

Tommy’s hair is now long enough to fulfil this promise, and he’s inviting Gazette readers to back his efforts.

With the full support of Nambour State Col- lege, Tommy will be stepping up on 20 October 2023, in front of his peers, to get his haircut.

The event isn’t just a haircut it’s a celebration of Tommy’s dedication and a beacon to shine a light on a good cause.

Tommy said he was proud to honour his cousin’s memory and do his bit to find a cure for cancer. “We always joked about my messy hair, and knew if I grew it long enough, we could make a wig to share,” Tommy said.

▶ You can see a link to Dylan Smith’s story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXcnITTPJJk. To support Tommy and Donate go to fundraise.acrf.com.au and search “Tommy”.