Tassie AFL star Ben Brown set for a 10-year first to raise funds for a good cause

Tasmanian AFL premiership star Ben Brown will say goodbye to his curly hair for a very special reason. He spoke to the Mercury about the cause close to his heart >>

Ben Brown with his cousin Grace,17, who is now in remission following two battles with Leukaemia. Brown will shave his head on Saturday at the Demon’s Family Day to raise money to support children with cancer as well as their families. Photo courtesy of David McPherson/Melbourne Football Club

TASMANIAN AFL premiership star Ben Brown will say goodbye to his famous curly locks on Saturday as he shaves his head to raise funds and awareness for a cause close to his heart.

The 2021 Melbourne premiership forward will shed himself of his thick head of hair at the Demons Family Day at Yarra Park to support to Challenge, a not-for-profit organisation that supports children and families living with cancer.

Brown has a personal link to the disease with his cousin Grace having gone through two battles with Leukaemia.

“Grace is 17 now but she was first diagnosed with Leukaemia at aged six and so it’s been a pretty rough time for the family and a few years of her being in and out of the hospital with treatments and all the rest of it,” the former Glenorchy footballer said.

“Eventually it was declared she was in remission and then a few years down the track she was diagnosed a second time so there were plenty of emotions that went with that and years spent in the Royal Children’s Hospital but she’s an amazing little fighter and she’s doing really well now.”

Ben Brown with his cousin Grace, 17. Photo courtesy of David McPherson/Melbourne Football Club

While the tough young teen is now in remission again, Brown will donate all funds raised from the shave to Challenge after the amazing support provided to Grace and her family.

“I’d been thinking about doing something like this for a while and wanting to give back to a charity that’s helped my family out so much over their journey with Grace,” he said.

“I spoke to my uncle Grant [Grace’s dad] about it and what they all went through and he said Challenge were there with them from the start and so supportive of Grace and the whole family and that’s why it’s so important to them.

“I wanted to give back in my own small way so they can keep providing programs they do to the people most in need.

“Raising funds and making people aware of what they do and how important they are when kids get cancer and what they and their families go through is super important to me, they’re just awesome.”

“I’ve got two young daughters and to think of them going through what Grace and the family went through breaks your heart and you want people in that situation to be supported.”

From left to right: Naomi (Grace's mum), Grant (Grace's dad), Grace, Ben, Lavinia (Grace's sister), and Isabella (Grace's sister). Photo courtesy of David McPherson/Melbourne Football Club

Brown said Grace was chuffed with his decision to shave his locks for the cause.

“She’s pretty excited about it all,” he said.

“We did a media day about it recently and she was up and about for it which was great to see.”

The two-time Coleman medal runner-up said he was thrilled with the response from teammates and the community for the fundraiser, with over $55,000 already raised thanks to more than 400 donations.

“My teammates have been incredibly supportive from the get go and I’ve been really humbled by the support they’ve given,” he said.

“The public support has been awesome as well which is great and I’m pretty excited to do it [shave his head] and see how much we can raise in the end.

“Hopefully we can kick the number up a fair bit more and any donation will be accepted really gratefully.”

Ben Brown with his cousin Grace,17. Photo courtesy of David McPherson/Melbourne Football Club

As for the act itself, Brown said he was yet to decide just how much of the mop would go but revealed he’d been given some much needed guidance from his captain Max Gawn.

“I went to ‘Maxy’ Gawn for advice and he said a [number] one be the way to go.

“It would have been over 10 years now since I cut my hair and I think I was living in Hobart last time I had my hair short so it was a while ago.”

“I don’t want to go the Nathan Jones level with the razor so I think a [number] one might be the way but discussions are ongoing and I’m taking suggestions from anyone out there that wants a particular number.”

To donate visit fundraise.challenge.org.au/bb/bbdonate