Erica Langan, 16, and Jasmine Pace, 15, had hair reaching below their waists but had their plaits cut off at an Oxley High School assembly this month.

Their hair will be used to make wigs for chemotherapy patients and the funds will go to the Australian Cancer Research Foundation.

Jasmine said the girls’ idea was prompted partly by the death of schoolmate Johnathon MacRae, who had battled a rare form of cancer. When she was younger, she also lost a close family friend she considered her uncle, and her mum has also had a lump cut out of her breast.

She said she felt “really good” with her new ‘do and about the funds raised.

“I’m very happy with it. I didn’t think we would raise that much, but I was very excited to see we raised $600 – that was amazing.”

Erica said her brother Cameron had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was three and she was 10.

“At first it was such a shock.

“I came home from school and none of my family was there.

“They came home a bit later and I found out they’d been at the hospital.”

The family had to relocate to the city while Cameron was treated.

“I had to go to school at the hospital for six months and we stayed at Ronald McDonald House for six months,” Erica said.

“At first I was quite scared but there were always ups and downs, and I was obviously quite young and didn’t understand everything.

“I have a better understanding now. He’s all better now.”

Year advisor Mel Hodges said Erica and Jasmine were “beautiful girls, doing this off their own bat to raise money”.