People

A Slice of Kindness: A Chinese girl's Haircut Raises Cancer Awareness in New Zealand

Staff Writer: Yiyi Xie
Image Source: Supplied

On August 30th, Arrowtown, South Island, New Zealand, basked in clear skies. Large crowds of local families gathered, children in tow, around the center of attention—Mercy Liu, a young Chinese woman.

Standing before the crowd, Mercy was giving a speech. In just about 10 minutes, she would have her 93-centimeter-long hair being cut off, which she had grown for five years, in front of hundreds of witnesses.

“I Must Return to New Zealand”

Born in Sichuan, China, Mercy grew up in a small town near Chengdu, living with her grandparents while her parents worked in the city.

An adventurous and independent spirit from a young age, she always knew she would venture abroad.

“But my parents, busy with their work, probably didn’t realize this about me. When I suddenly told them I wanted to go overseas, they were shocked and didn’t understand,” Mercy recalled.

Despite trying to communicate her thoughts with her parents, Mercy was determined and unstoppable.

In 2018, 21-year-old Mercy first arrived in New Zealand on a working holiday visa. During her working holiday, she stayed in Auckland for the whole time, fully occupied with making ends meet. There was little time or money for her to explore New Zealand further.

By early 2020, her working holiday visa had expired, and she returned to China. But she was sure of one thing: she would be back.

However, this was when COVID-19 was at its peak, and many overseas Chinese were doing everything they could to return home. Mercy, on the other hand, chose to leave her home country again.

Her parents were reluctant, wanting to keep their only daughter close and fearing the pandemic. “I told my mom, ‘Do you want me to be happy? New Zealand is my promised land. If I don’t go, I won’t be happy.’”

Eventually, Mercy convinced her parents, “They had no choice,” she laughed.

At that time, international travel was difficult, with strict entry requirements. But these challenges didn’t deter her. New Zealand’s policy required travelers to quarantine in a third country for two weeks. So, in March 2020, Mercy traveled alone to Malaysia, where she spent two weeks in a hotel, never leaving her room.

Upon finally entering New Zealand, her landlord—who worked at a retirement home—was too scared to let her stay in the house. With nowhere to go, Mercy was fortunate to have a friend who let her use the bathroom and kitchen while she slept in her car for a month.

She waited four months for her student visa, struggling with finances, studies, and life. Yet, she remained optimistic. “As long as you don’t give up, there’s hope. Everything happens for a reason,” she often said.

Resolutely Moving to a Small Town

During her year studying early childhood education in Auckland, COVID-19 meant classes were online, leaving her to self-study. After graduating, she received a job offer from a prestigious kindergarten in Auckland but had other plans in mind.

A 9-to-5 job in the big city wasn’t her passion for coming to New Zealand. As an outdoor enthusiast, she had previously visited Queenstown but wanted to explore it more deeply.

In October 2021, while Auckland was under its strictest lockdown, Mercy made up her mind to head to the South Island, despite the restrictions. Once again, she made a bold decision amidst uncertainty and acted swiftly.

She interviewed with six Queenstown kindergartens and, unsurprisingly, received offers from all of them. She also found accommodation online, with a landlord willing to take her in. With a job and a place to stay, there was no reason for Mercy to hesitate.

So, she embarked on a solo road trip from Auckland, taking her time to enjoy the scenic beauty of the journey south, avoiding contact with others to minimize the risk of infection, and immersing herself in nature.

When asked if she ever felt lonely, Mercy replied, “Not at all. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was the start of a new chapter in my life, and I felt like I was driving through fields of hope.”

On her second day in Queenstown, she started her new job. Since then, she has never wanted to leave.

“When everything is going well in a place, it means that the place is accepting of you. That's how I feel about South Island.”

Shaving Her Head for Charity—A Tribute to Her Mother

In April 2023, Mercy’s mother was diagnosed with cancer in China. Although her condition was well-controlled after treatment, Mercy felt guilty for not being there to care for her.

“I wanted to make up for it in any way I could, including helping others,” she said. “I believe in karma. I believe that the good things I do will come back to my parents and loved ones.”

The idea to shave her head came to her when she saw a celebrity she followed cut his long hair to donate to charity. Mercy realized, “I could do that too.”

In January, she visited Chengdu, where a hair trader at a market offered to buy her hair for a substantial amount—around 2,000 to 3,000 yuan (around 500 to 750 NZD).

But a voice inside her told her, “It’s not the right time yet.”

Back in New Zealand, Mercy shared her thoughts about cutting her hair with a colleague, who suggested she use the opportunity to raise funds. “In a minute, I made the decision—it’s time.”

She decided to cut her hair to raise money for the Cancer Society NZ, both to give a tribute to her mother and to raise people's awareness about cancer.

With the support of her community and friends, they arranged for photography, posters, and publicity. The news spread quickly, and every day, she got encouraged from everyone.

The Cancer Society NZ saw her poster at the library and emailed her: “Thank you so much for your kindness. We’ll be there to support you.”

“I want to give back to the community because I love my life here so much. But I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of my colleagues, landlord, friends and everyone,” Mercy said.

The day of Mercy’s head-shaving event coincided with New Zealand’s Daffodil Day, an annual event organized by the Cancer Society NZ to raise awareness and funds for cancer patients and their families.

Many parents brought their children to support Mercy, and several local media outlets were present to capture the moment.

Before cutting her hair, Mercy delivered a speech, expressing her hope that the children would remember her as a teacher who taught them about sharing and spreading kindness.

“Maybe the kids don’t understand the significance of cutting my hair now, but in 10 or 20 years, the seeds planted today will grow,” she said.

Mercy’s hair was put into 20 ponytails, each cut by a different person—three of them children. Inspired by her actions, donations quickly poured in, both online and in cash, exceeding 4,000 NZD.

Her hair will be sent to a wig company in Dunedin to be made into wigs for those in need.

Reflecting on the experience, Mercy felt a bit emotional but mostly proud.

In a media interview, she said, “I think this will be one of the most unforgettable moments of my life. I’m so glad that so many children were there to witness it.”

“It has always been my hope to plant small seeds of courage in their hearts, so they can bravely do what’s important. Helping others starts with just a simple idea.”