Wearing a broad smile and running a hand over her freshly shaved head, she says she’d play footy if her mum let her.

But not everyone in Madison’s life is as fortunate. Her five year-old cousin has battled leukemia since he was 18 months old.

About two weeks ago Madison said she was sitting in her room when a thought popped into her head.

“I don’t know where it came from,” she said.

“I just looked at the website for the World’s Greatest Shave.

“I started to write my information in and Mum finished it off for me.

“I wasn’t really thinking about it.”

Two days later, thanks largely in part to her mother’s tireless use of social media, Madison had collected $800 in donations.

Madison was sitting in class, checking her page at recess and lunch, amazed at the growing figure.

Two weeks later she was sitting in front of her whole school, clippers running through her hair while her friends took photos on their phones.

“It was nerve-wracking,” she said.

“They cut off my plait and I held it up, everyone’s face was so funny.

“I felt famous.”

The twelve year-old reached her goal of raising $2000 for the World’s Greatest Shave. She also donated her hair to Wigs for Kids charity.

“It feels good to do a nice thing like this,” she said. 

“It’s much cooler.

“And everyone rubs my head.”

Madison’s mother Natarsha McDonald said the whole family was proud of Madison’s gesture. 

The Maitland Mercury wants to meet the everyday heroes who plan on shaving or dying their hair for the World’s Greatest Shave.

The website will showcase the stories and images of those across the Hunter who are bravely raising money to find a cure for cancer.