Nine-year-old girl donates hair to help sick children, inspires charity book
President praises child’s altruism as book raises funds for MCCF
A nine-year-old English girl who donated her hair to help children who lose it due to illness has met President Myriam Spiteri Debono, after her gesture also inspired a book in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund.
Ria-Rose Leia Moore cut her hair while on holiday in Malta at her aunt’s, who is a hairdresser, and donated it to the UK-based non-governmental organisation Little Princess Trust which provides real-hair wigs to children receiving medical treatment.
The organisation operates in a similar way to the MCCF which supports patients locally.
The girl’s gesture inspired the book Xagħar Ria (Ria’s Hair) written by family friend Patricia Bondin. Proceeds from the sale of the book will go towards supporting the MCCF’s mission.
The MCCF described the initiative as complementing its efforts to encourage children to help others, including through its annual BOV Piggy Bank campaign.
During a meeting with the president at San Anton Palace, Ria explained her donation was inspired by the stories of other children who lose their hair because of illness.
It was her own wish to make this hair donation which she insisted upon despite knowing how long it would take her to re-grown her hair to its previous length.
Spiteri Debono praised the girl's voluntary gesture and her "sense of responsibility and altruism in helping others.”
Ria was accompanied by her mother, the book’s author, illustrator Lynn Zammit Russell, editor Toni Aquilina and Joanne Micallef, founder of Faraxa Publishing House.
The Malta Community Chest Fund accepts donations of human hair. The hair is turned into wigs by experts abroad, funded by the MCCF, and provided to individuals with various medical conditions.