Social media figure Patrick Salmon has shaved his head for cancer after his close relative Marama Raimona was diagnosed with breast cancer late last year.
“What's inspired me to shave my hair off is my cousin Marama over in Australia. She is a whanaunga of ours that's a poupou of support and she's like the go-to person," Salmon says.
Raimona, 45, was diagnosed with breast cancer after finding a malignant, a type of lump in the breast.
“All our other whānau in Australia have all shaved their hair off so it was kind of cool bringing home to do it as well.”
Accompanying Salmon to spread the message was two other well-known Māori faces from social media, Cooked Whānau with Nix and Annies Way of Life.
“I understand that people are afraid to share or have their own reasons for why they to share with the wider whanau. I just can't imagine the pain and the struggle that she would've been going through internally and whanau as well over there.”
Raimona is continuing with treatment and hopes everyone else jumps on board to help support the causes of the illness.