Denmark’s Billee Nelson set to shave off her hair on behalf of her mum who is battling blood cancer

Denmark’s Billee Nelson is on a mission to “shave the world of blood cancer” as she takes the clippers to her curly hair to raise funds for the Leukaemia Foundation in honour of her mum who is battling blood cancer. Billee, 16, is taking part in the World’s Greatest Shave for her mum Pam Nelson who was diagnosed with Polycythemia Rubra Vera in 2010, a form of blood cancer, which progressed to Myelofibrosis which is an uncommon bone marrow cancer. Her grandfather was also diagnosed with Chronic Leukemia and died in 2012. Billee said she felt it was important to take part in the World’s Greatest Shave to show support for her mum. “I will be raising money to donate to the Leukaemia Foundation in support of my mum who has been there for me my whole life and I would like to support her in anyway I can,” Billee said. “Mum was diagnosed with Polycythemia Rubra Vera in 2010 which has recently progressed to Myelofibrosis. “Fortunately due to her amazing haematologist and her medication she is living an active, full life with four children and four grandchildren, but she also has her days where she is too sick to get out of bed.” More than 13,000 people from around Australia have signed up to take part in the World’s Greatest Shave this week. They have so far raised more than $8 million for the Leukemia Foundation to help fund research, clinical trials and support families battling with blood cancer. Ms Nelson said she thought it was fantastic her daughter was taking part in the shave. “Billee said to me a few months ago that she would really like to do it and I sort of thought to myself that I’ll see how this goes, but then she was really persistent,” she said. “She said ‘mum, I really do want to do this’ and I asked her if she realises what it means (shaving off her hair). “She was quite determined to go ahead with it and raise as much money and support as she could.” Billee said she was looking forward to losing her locks. “I’m so excited to have no hair, I’m so done with hair,” she said. “It’s only down to my shoulders, but it’s curly. “My dad and my boyfriend both want to shave part of my head and my sister, her kids and my mum will all be around for the shave too.” The Nelson family would often travel between Denmark and Perth when Ms Nelson was undergoing treatment in hospital. They have stayed in the family accommodation facilities funded by the Leukemia Foundation in order to be close to their mum. Billee said she wanted to raise money so that other families can also be close to their loved ones. “People who have a family member who are in hospital regularly, if that hospital is a long way from their home or not even in the same town as their home, then they would have to drive a lot,” she said. “So paying for their accommodation or for them to be able to stay in the hospital allows them to be able to stay closer to their family so they don’t have to keep travelling the distance all the time.” Billee will be shaving off her curly locks on Friday, March 18. To donate, search “Billee Nelson” on the World’s Greatest Shave website.