Wakefield Trinity ace Caius Faatili adopts new look to raise funds for Leeds-based children's cancer charity
One of Super League’s most iconic mullets has bitten the dust, to raise money for a children’s cancer charity.
Wakefield Trinity cult hero Caius Faatili’s flowing locks were shaved off in support of 10-year-old fan Sammy Balmforth, who was diagnosed with leukemia in January. Sammy and his family have been hospitality guests at Trinity home games this season and he was invited into the changing room to join in the winning song following May’s victory over Warrington Wolves.
Due to the chemotherapy Sammy has been undergoing, he decided to shave his hair into an arrow and challenged Faatili to adopt the same hairstyle. Sammy and Faatili’s teammate Isaiah Vagana did the honours and so far the gesture more than £5,000 has been pledged to Yorkshire-based charity Candlelighters through an online fundraising page.
Faatili said: “It must be so tough for Sammy and his family to be battling with an illness like this, especially for children, so any light myself and the other players can help spread is so worthwhile to be able to do. The work Candlelighters do is awesome and to be able to raise more than £5,000 is amazing.
“To be able to sit down with him and his family for lunch, I could see how happy he was and how much courage he has shown during this time. Sammy came into the dressing room for the Warrington game and the team song earlier this year. We got to meet him and his family then and when he got in touch about this, it was something that I really wanted to do. The haircut is looking good. Ice [Vagana] and Sammy were on the tools and they’ve fixed me up pretty well and I’m happy with it.”
Sammy’s father Chris said: “When Caius said yes to the challenge, it was a phenomenal feeling. Our family were completely blown away and Sammy’s face was an absolute picture. As a family, there’s highs and lows at the moment. There’s lots of lows in terms of the chemotherapy Sammy is going through, the condition he is in, the changes we see in him and being sick multiple times a day.
“But whenever Sammy is having a good day, we find a memory that will really inspire him to keep going. Times like these and the support that Wakefield has shown him is one of those. The rugby community is an unbelievable group and it’s certainly a tribe and an amazing group of people.”