A Whangarei pharmacist is raising eyebrows, and cancer awareness, with his hair-raising charity fundraiser - a shocking pink mohawk.
Shane Heswall, from Kensington and Maunu Pharmacies, has been sporting the pink mohawk for almost a week to raise money and awareness for Shave for a Cure, the main fundraiser for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand.
Mr Heswall said the shocking pink look had raised a few eyebrows and "almost caused a divorce from my wife Angela'' but it was also raising plenty of awareness for the cause.
''I despise cancer and our inability to fully figure it out and I wanted to contribute. My son Oliver did Shave for a Cure at Huanui College last year and was going to do it again this year so I thought I'd support him too.''
So he decided on something a bit different and the pink mohawk certainly makes his efforts stand out. He will shave it off - ''a number one, right down to a Kojak'' - on Wednesday night after a stint working at the Maunu pharmacy.
''Oliver first did (Shave for a Cure) in memory of his grandfather Alan Heswall. This year he also lost his aunty Ann O'Sullivan to cancer and that's why he wanted to do it again.''
Mr Heswall said his wife, who runs the pharmacies with him, struggled with the pink mohawk and he joked it had almost led to divorce, but it was also getting plenty of attention. He has set up a Givealittle page to raise money for the cause.
''It took two or three days for Angela (to get used to his new do). She struggled with it a bit.''
He said as a family they did Movember and Blue September and other fundraisers to promote health causes.
"I don't have a target (for the fundraising) but the money is just as important as bringing attention to the cause and raising people's awareness. I normally help out behind the scenes but this time I thought I'd do something a bit different to make a positive difference.''
And the feedback from the regular customers had been positive.
"One lady came in (on Thursday) and said 'that's a nice colour' and that it might be nice for her own hair colour. She said it was wonderful.''
Mr Heswall said Dean Abel, from Whangarei's Hubands store, had already donated $500 to match what Mr Heswall had raised so far.
''Dean is now going to have to get a mohawk too, and dye it orange, which is the Hubands colour,'' he said.
To donate to Mr Heswall's Shave for a Cure challenge go to
https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/shanes-shave-for-a-cure-mohawk-dye-job.