Donations raised by Zara Pollock (18) will go to Friends of Cancer Center Belfast, who supported her grandparents, Elizabeth and Raymond Pollock, throughout their diagnosis and treatment.

The Ulster University student will also donate her hair to the Little Princess Trust, a charity providing real wigs to young people who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy treatment.

The GoFundMe page set up by Zara has already surpassed its £500 target, raising over £1,600 so far.

“I had seen fundraisers before and made appointments with my grandmother and grandfather and heard about Friends of the Cancer Center,” Zara said.

“I thought it was a good cause, so I thought I’d like to raise some money for them.

“I was looking around to see where I could donate my hair, donate money and help two different charities at once. I found the Little Princess Trust on a website and had already heard about it from different people and decided it would be a good charity to donate my hair to.

Zara said she had a special relationship with her grandmother and grandfather.

She said: “I am very close to them, I see them almost every day. We were going on holiday with them to a house in Donegal.

“My grandfather and I would discuss things on the news and he would also take me fishing. My grandmother and I are knitting a blanket right now. We watch different TV shows and have dinner together.

She said she chose the Friends of the Cancer Center as her charity of choice because of “how much they do for people” and “how helpful they have been” to her great -parents.

In Northern Ireland, almost 10,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year, a number which is increasing largely due to the increasingly aging population.

Friends of The Cancer Centre, based at Belfast City Hospital, provides life-changing support to thousands of cancer patients each year.

Established more than 35 years ago, the charity donated almost £1.2 million to local cancer centers last year alone.

Zara’s hair donation to the Little Princess Trust will provide real wigs to children and young people who have lost their hair to chemotherapy.

Since 2005, the charity has helped donate more than 17,000 wigs and funds research focused on less aggressive cancer treatments.

Although she’s never attempted such a challenge before, Zara is more than happy to donate to a good cause.

“I hope I can do it when my mom and dad come back from vacation.” It is cut to the length of a square.

“I’ve never done anything like this before, I’m very excited. It’s definitely a good cause and I hope it looks cool.

To help support Zara Pollock’s campaign, visit her GoFundMe – ‘Raising Money for Friends of Cancer Center Belfast’.