A kind-hearted Dublin girl has donated her hair to raise vital funds for a children's charity.
Robyn Von Meding, 10, cut off 14-inches of her strawberry blonde locks today for the Rapunzel Foundation, an organisation that collects hair to make wigs for children and adults with alopecia. Proud mum Roberta told Dublin Live young Robyn is really excited to make a difference in people's lives.
The mum-of-two said: "She likes the idea that someone who may be undergoing chemo or have alopecia will be able to wear her hair. Her hair is stunning. The thing she gets complimented on the most is her hair and she’s really excited that someone can have it."
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Wicklow girl Robyn, who was born with albinism, was declared legally blind when she was just six weeks old. The compassionate girl hopes to also raise money for ChildVision, a charity that provides support to children with sight loss.
Roberta said: "Robyn’s range of vision would be quite close. She can see well enough a couple of meters away but things that are further away, she wouldn’t be able to see any detail in them or anything at all depending on contrast.
"ChildVision have been a great help to her. They do big versions of academic books and books that her peers would be reading in the library."
Robyn was diagnosed with albinism and visual impairment when her GP noticed her eyes moved constantly in an uncontrolled movement. Roberta said: "A part of albinism is a thing called ‘nystagmus’ which is where the eyes move uncontrollably. Her GP asked me if her eyes usually did that.
"I told them they did and she recommended we take her to an ophthalmologist. We went to Blackrock two days later and she put some drops in her eyes. 15 minutes later she looked and saw very little pigment."
But Robyn did not let the diagnoses hold her back and has blossomed into a talented and smart young girl. Roberta said: "She’s very confident, very outgoing. She’s amazing at swimming, gymnastics, and tennis. She’s very creative. She loves art and loves to dance. She’s very popular with her friends.
"She’s very assertive so if she’s not able to see something or if she needs something to be altered in PE, she’d be very good at asserting herself and letting someone know.
"She’s amazing. She learnt how to ride a bike without stabilisers when she was two. There were so many things that myself and my husband wouldn’t have been sure about but she's amazing."
Roberta said her girls also enjoy helping her with maternity magazine, Mum & Tots. You can follow Mum & Tots on Facebook here.
You can donate here to help support Robyn's cause.
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