News

Two members of the University of Otago’s ITS Service Desk team have had their faces shaved by a blind man to support the Cancer Society’s annual Daffodil Day fundraiser. Customer Service Representatives David Steer and James Inger had their faces shaved by their blind colleague Simon Fogarty last week.

When asked if he was nervous about shaving Steer and Inger’s faces, Ferguson said, “They were. I wasn’t, really.”

The event, Fogarty’s Facial Full Monty, was held in the Link on Wednesday 27 August. Sandy Wilson of Physics, herself a cancer survivor, also had her head shaved into a mohawk. During the shaving event, $463.70 was raised, but Ferguson expects much more to be coming.

“If we raise enough money we will consider having Simon shave our heads too,” Inger told the Otago Bulletin.

ITS run a Daffodil Day initiative annually and this year have a number of events running, including the shaving event, selling daffodils, and a white elephant stall. Fogarty says the stall is for people to get rid of their junk, “whilst hoarders come and buy it.”

Fogarty said the ITS department enjoy getting involved because “the Cancer Society is a great cause and I don’t think there’s anyone who hasn’t been affected by cancer in some way.”

In an email sent to staff after the event, ITS Administration Team Leader Denise Moulin said, “thanks to David and James, who so willingly agreed to be shaven when asked, and to Simon Fogarty, who has missed his calling as a barber.” She also thanked Nurse Barkman and Dr McFarlane, “whose first aid skills were not required - thankfully.”

The ITS department are hoping to raise “as much as possible,” says Ferguson. “If we raise $500, fantastic. Any more is even better. [The Cancer Society] do good work and help a lot of people in need,” he said.

When asked how the idea came about, Fogarty said “they hadn’t had a shave in a number of months. Denise suggested they shave them off for the cancer society and I said would pay $50 to have the pleasure of shaving them.

“Because I’m totally blind, it turned into a way we knew we could make money,” he said.

Staff and students can stop by the ITS Leith Reception Desk to donate.