I don’t remember when I started to lose my hair. My mum says I was about 2 years old. It started with a tiny patch on the crown of my head, but that grew back a few months later. About 6 months after that the patch came back again but this time instead of growing back, it got bigger and bigger. It happened really quickly and within 6 months all my hair had come out. My eyebrows and eyelashes quickly followed.

I have had no hair for all my time at school so most kids are used to it. When I started at school it was fine because I was in kindy, but when I got into years 1 and 2 some of the older kids didn’t understand and would say things that weren’t so nice and that was really hard sometimes.

My friends and teachers are great though, they really support me. I wear headscarves most days. I don’t think any of them even think about the fact I have no hair anymore.

A lot of people don’t know what alopecia is and assume that I am ill, they like to come and chat with my mum about it and she has to tell them about alopecia and how it affects me. Sometimes I don’t like it when people stare, and little kids sometimes point and whisper but other times I feel confident and don’t care about other people.

I’ve always wanted to do gymnastics, I love practising at home but I’ve never had lessons, but thanks to the AAAF sponsorship programme I am about to start at my local academy. Some of my friends already go to the academy that I am joining and I can’t wait to see them there, there are lots of skills I will learn and it’s going to be great fun.