Author:North Shore Times - Katrina Adamski Date: 12/08/2009 8:41:36 AM

Article courtesy of the North Shore Times Website. Picture courtesy: SARA NIXON

TENIAH Wiggins’s thick, long hair was her “pride and joy” and an asset in her budding career as a model.

But when it was cut off, leaving the 14-year-old with a short bob, no one could have been happier.

Teniah’s sister Imogen, 13, has alopecia, a rare disease that has left her bald. And Teniah’s hair will be used to make a wig for Imogen.

“I really want to be model and there’s nothing stopping me from giving it a try,” Teniah, of Killara, said. “But it is more important for me to use my profile to raise awareness about alopecia.

“People think it’s cancer, but it’s not. And they can’t see what Imogen is going through. I wanted to give her my hair and use modelling as a way to help people understand.”

Teniah achieved that goal when she reached the finals of the Girlfriend magazine model search.

Although she found out last weekend that she did not make it any further in the competition, she was happy to be one of only seven chosen from NSW. The year 9 Killara High School pupil had her hair cut off recently by Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Stephanie Rice, who is Tresses for Princesses ambassador for the Princess Charlotte Alopecia Foundation.

Teniah is growing her hair again so she can have it cut once more to complete the wig for Imogen.

Their mother Sue said people had approached her for years about the girls becoming models.

“It is something Teniah has always wanted because she has something to say,” Mrs Wiggins said.

“She’s our greenie and when I found out that she’d been growing her hair for Imogen it blew me away.

“Imogen has always been our shy one and modelling for her would be about finding her self confidence.

“We are teaching her to become the person she wants to be, despite the alopecia.”

Teniah, at 174cm tall, will continue to pursue her dream to become a model, although she wants to study medicine when she finishes high school.

The foundation raises funds by selling donated hair to wig makers and uses the funds to buy wigs for those who cannot afford them. To donate hair, email the foundation donations@princesscharlottealopecia.com, see the princesscharlottealopecia.com website, or write to PO Box 418, Balmain, 2041.