Fueled by a desire to help others, Piper has decided to shave her head and donate her long, golden locks on Monday, December 13 at Mudgee Public School to raise funds for Variety, the Children's Charity.

Her 40cm ponytail will be turned into a wig to support kids who have lost their hair due to cancer and or other medical conditions.

"I thought by shaving my hair I could help people with cancer and other disabilities so they can have a bit of confidence in their lives," she said.

"There's a part of me that really wants to keep my hair, but I am also quite excited."

Piper said she's had a lot of people in her life affected by cancer, including her grandparents, and she wanted to show support to those going through a hard time.

"I've had mixed reactions and my family told me they're going to miss my hair, but they've given me lots of support to do this," she said.

Parents Sacha and Scott Etherington said they are proud of their daughter for taking up the values they've taught as a family and in their family-run Mudgee Gymnastics club.

"We are super proud, for her to not worry about what other people think, that's very brave of an 11-year-old," Mrs Etherington said.

"Piper's grown up in our gymnastics club where we try and give back to the community.

"We've always wanted our kids to grow up and be their own little people, and we just wanted to guide that energy in the right direction."

Head to piperetherington.com to donate and raise funds for Variety - Hair with Heart.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: