A moving video has been shared online of an Auckland woman shaving her head in solidarity with her twin sister who is undergoing treatment for leukaemia.
Samoan twins Joella and Joanna Lee-Loo shaved their heads as they were surrounded by family in the video posted to Facebook on Saturday.
"Today [Joanna] decided to show just how brave and strong she was by shaving her head so treatments could be easier," Joella wrote.
"I couldn't let her go through with it alone so I decided we’ll do it together just like everything else we’ve done together in this life. I love you so much my beautiful sister. You are a fighter and we’ll fight this battle together."
Joanna was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia cancer on April 6 and has been receiving chemotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"As devastating the news was, my sister had to start her treatments straight away but because of lockdown, she had to do it all alone in hospital without her family there to hold her hand and wipe her tears when she needed it.
"The only contact we had with her was through video calls and messages. It was a hard time for my family and I but especially for my sister."
Joella says her family has been praying for Joanna "day and night" and she is being brave throughout her treatment.
The Facebook post has now received more than 12 million views, 151,000 comments, and 450,000 shares with people from all over the world sharing prayers for Joanna.
"What a beautiful family sticking through all this together. Our prayers with your sister and all the family and may God give you all strength to battle forward," one commenter wrote.
"A lot of strength and wisdom. You will beat it and are strong and able to overcome all this," one person wrote in Portuguese.
