Brave Daughters Shaved off Their Hair to Support Mom Who Was Battling Cancer

Cancer is a catastrophic disease that causes a devastating level of pain to the person affected, sometimes tearing families apart. However, one family became closer, and it was all because of hair - or lack thereof.

Initially, mother and wife Joanna McPherson was diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer called CIS (ductal carcinoma in situ).

However, after the surgery, she was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer, which is more aggressive. So, unlike her previous malignancy, it had to be treated with chemotherapy, and her hair began falling out.

A CHILD'S ENDLESS LOVE

As an act of taking her power back from the horrifying disease, she shaved all her hair off. Two out of her four daughters, 10-year-old Kayla and 7-year-old Sophia, wanted to support their mother by going bald. McPherson recollected what she said to them:

"'I don't know if you know what you're really asking to do. Your hair is part of your features...and other kids could make fun of you.'"

However, the mom's push to stop them heightened their resolve, and in 2019, the family recorded their father Shawn McPherson shaving his children's beautiful tresses off.

MATRIARCHAL STRENGTH

Both children were inspired to shave their hair by their mother's ability to continue being a great parent towards them despite what she was going through. Sophia commented:

“I would do anything for my mom because she’s my mom... she cares for me, and she would do anything for me, so I just want to show her how it feels.”

McPherson expressed her belief that their act of love was not only to show their support. She believed that it was also Kayla and Sophia finding a way to cope with the reality of their mother's sickness.

THE POWERFUL TRIO

Either way, this mom was blown away by both her girl's decision to do something so incredible. McPherson said:

"You don't really get that many chances in life to express ourselves with such kind of big gestures... it's nice that we're able to capture that and to share it with other people."

This duo and their mother were now three peas in a pod, looking empowered and graceful with shaven hair and more than ready to take on what the future might bring.

MORE SOLIDARITY

It's fair to say that McPherson's children embody a deep family bond, with another mom Melissa Short also playing the part.

In 2020, when her 8-year-old daughter Naomi began losing hair due to stage 4 brain cancer, she also took to the razor, assuring her little girl was not alone.

Beyond family support, however, Naomi received solidarity from the wider community. She received $28,849 in donations for a GoFundMe account set up for her.

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COME TOGETHER

The young girl was also made honorary Butler County deputy sheriff, granted a trip to Disney World, and so much more. Her father, Gary Short, expressed:

“I don’t know where we would be without everyone reaching out with all of this love and support. It’s been so amazing.”

We sometimes forget that many more people than we may realize will genuinely go out of their way when someone is struggling. There is so much more beauty in the world than most of us can comprehend.