She promised to shave her head to raise money to help find a cure.

“She ended up getting the good news that it wasn’t cancer,” Elysha told the Tribune.

“I thought then that I would shave my head anyway for all the people who don't get news after their tests.”

On the last day of school the Mt Carmel student had her locks shaved.

“I had raised about $800 leading up to the day of the shave but on the day two of my friends, Anna Kirk and Michaela Swadling, took the donation boxes around Comur St and they helped me raise another $200.”

In six weeks she had raised $1024.

“One donation was $405 from a young man who is very passionate for personal reasons about fundraising for cancer, and said it was inspiring that a teenage girl would shave their head to raise money for cancer.”

Elysha’s friends Eleanor Fry and Jamillia Solomons cut off her pony tails and then her mother finished the job.

People told her before the chop that she was brave to cut her hair off, and the teenager said she now realised why.

“Going out in public has been a bit daunting, and I feel very self-conscious… but it really it has been worth it because now I understand better how cancer patients might feel going out in public.”

Elysha said she was glad she had her head shaved and encouraged others to “do their thing” for cancer research or Yass Canassist.