Hirsute nurse to lose locks

Donna and Michael Davies agree that when something’s lost, something’s gained.

John Gass

"GIMME a head with hair, long beautiful hair."

The opening lines to the best-known song in the long-running musical Hair have always been dear to the heart of North Arm's Michael Davies.

And grow hair on his face and head he has done happily since the mid-1980s when the Department of Health finally relaxed rules governing the amount of hair which could be grown on the face and head of male nurses.

Mr Davies nurses in the children's ward at Murwillumbah Hospital and his wife Donna works in the hospital's re- habilitation area.

Mr Davies took to the long hair rule relaxation like Yul Brynner to a razor and in quick time had given himself a head with hair - long beautiful hair.

His full beard fell to his sternum and the hair crept down to his waistline and remained there in partnership, untouched by scissors (except for the odd clip to split ends) until last November when the flowing beard, of which Santa Claus would have been proud, was shed to raise funds in the Movember charity promotion.

Now, following a losing bet with his wife, Mr Davies is about to shed his flowing locks in aid of charity.

"I bet Donna that if she lost 10kg in weight I'd have my hair cut in March for the Leukaemia Foundation's annual Shave for a Cure fundraiser," Mr Davies said.

"I set her a tough task but if she succeeded I promised her I'd keep my end of the bargain."

When Mr Davies shaved off his luxuriant beard for Movember it was the first time since his early teens his face had experienced direct sunlight.

"Donna and I had been together for nearly 25 years and it was the first time she and the three kids, who are now all in their 20s, had ever seen my full face," Mr Davies said.

So what promoted the bet between husband and wife?

"I didn't really mind the beard but have been at him for years now to get his hair cut," Mrs Davies said.

"I kept telling him that the '80s look has passed, but he steadfastly refused to get within cooee of a pair of scissors.

"I reckon he only took the bet on because he didn't think I'd achieve the weight loss - that really inspired me to shed the 10kgs."

Mr Davies will be shorn of his long locks at the Tumbulgum Tavern on Saturday, March 10.

To support Michael in his fundraising venture go to my.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/MichaelDavies or give him a call on 02 6672 3127.