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Paradise girl, 7, shaves head for cancer fundraiser

Ryann Fradsham, 7, has her head shaved during the Shave for the Brave fundraiser at the Avalon Mall in St. John's on Saturday.

A seven-year-old girl raised more money than anyone else in the country for this year's Shave for the Brave, and drew a crowd at a St. John's shopping mall this weekend.

Ryann Fradsham, a Grade 1 student from Paradise, decided in November that she wanted to raise money to help people, and told her mom during her birthday in February that she wanted to take part in the annual Shave for the Brave fundraiser for Young Adult Cancer Canada.

"No you're not shaving your head, that was my initial reaction," said Ryann's mother, Melissa Fradsham.

Ryann persisted, though, and managed to raise almost $7,000 for the charity, which was founded by St. John's resident Geoff Eaton.

"She just became so adamant about it and she just kept asking and asking and asking, and finally we said, 'You know what, she's passionate about it, we'll just let her do it, ' " Melissa Fradsham said.

Ryann said her mom wasn't completely sold on the idea at first.

"At first she didn't want me to do it, but then my dad said, 'We taught her to care about people so we should let her do it,'" she said.

Melissa said she is more anxious about the event than her daughter.

"I'm very nervous — she doesn't seem to care, she says, 'Mom, it's only hair and I get to help people with cancer,' so we're just so proud — we're overwhelmed."

Mona Fradsham, Ryann's grandmother, said she was proud of her granddaughter.

"She's just a good little girl, and she wanted to do this really badly, and she did it."

Supporters crowded around Ryann Saturday at the Avalon Mall as participants lined up to have their hair shorn for the cause.

Once the hair was gone, Ryann's parents said it was an experience they wouldn't forget.

"I guess sometimes today you don't really see that with the younger generation, so for her to be so caring at a young age and make a difference, it's unbelievable," Melissa Fradsham said.