78-year-old Pat Baird has bright pink hair.
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It is an unusual colour choice for a woman of her age, but one made for a good cause.
Mrs Baird has been raising funds for the Leukemia Foundation, and has had so much positive feedback about her new hair colour that she will be getting it dyed pink again on Friday.
The Leukemia Foundation is a cause close to Mrs Baird’s heart.
It is one that has helped her over the past 10 years battling myeloma, a blood cancer that attacks bone marrow.
Mrs Baird was first diagnosed with myeloma in 2008. At times it has been a difficult journey, but the hard times haven’t dampened her positive outlook on life.
“The journey has been quite good for me. I believe that you accept what has happened and get on with life,” she said.
“It is no good sitting around and wrapping yourself in cotton wool and saying you can’t do certain things. I just get on with every day things.”
Craft has always been a hobby and passion for Mrs Baird, who enjoys china painting and embroidery.
She has so far raised $1500 through a scone morning tea, a hand massage afternoon, and a raffle at her retirement village, and donation boxes throughout the community.
She moved to the village in Sebastopol with her husband in 2015 from their home in Horsham, after deciding it would be easier for them both to regularly access specialists and treatment in Ballarat.
“Now we are in Ballarat it is much easier to access all of the health services,” she said.
“When the myeloma was getting out of hand I started on chemotherapy every day for about five weeks in Horsham.
“I had an infusion for my immune system every month just after I finished the first month of chemo. Then when it started to rise again I went back on monthly chemo therapy. I did that for a while, I can’t remember for how long. That’s how much notice I take of it all, I don’t remember how long I had the chemo for.”
Mrs Baird has been on and off chemo, either weekly or monthly, and has regularly visited specialists in Ballarat.
Her husband often drives her to treatments at the Ballarat oncology unit, or she can call the ‘lukemia car’ which offers a free transport service for patients.
A recent break from chemo has helped restore Mrs Baird’s energy levels and ability to participate in social activities at the retirement village.
“On chemo I get very tired. You just don’t feel like doing very much. I don’t want to eat,” she said.
“You push yourself to do things, do it when you feel you can and if I feel I am tired I go to bed when I have to. That’s the only way I think you can handle it.”
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