Melbourne hairdresser who cuts sick kids' hair for free at risk of losing salon

For the young patients of Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital, hairdresser Fiona Payet is a beam of sunshine.
 
The stylist has a public salon on the hospital premises, and regularly pops up to the wards to offer her services to the kids receiving treatment there, free of charge.
 
“I do all the kids for free, have dinner with the parents, anything I can do to help out here,” Payet tells the TODAY Show’s Sylvia Jeffreys and Karl Stefanovic.

The comments posted on the Salon Royale Facebook page say it all.
 
“Our daughter who has been through so much felt so special and left the salon loving her new 'do',” one parent writes.
 
“I’ve never met someone so passionate, caring and selfless as you, putting a smile on all those beautiful children and families’ faces,” another says.

When she first joined Salon Royale, it was a much bigger business. After two years of managing the shop, however, the owners had to close.
 
“Then I got the opportunity from another retailer to rent this premises out as I didn’t want to leave, so I stayed,” Payet explains. 

RELATED: Aussie mum brought to tears by random act of kindness

The Malvern hairdresser has been a sole trader ever since, meaning she has to close the door to other clients whenever she goes to the wards to cut the children’s hair.

“It’s a bit of a tough gig at the moment,” she admits.

WATCH: Kelly Eng explains why she was compelled to help raise money to keep Fiona Payet's salon open. (Post continues.)

Payet came close to having to close her salon at the end of 2017, but was thrown a lifeline by client and friend Kelly Eng, who set up a GoFundMe page in her name.

“Fiona is so much more than a hairdresser – she is a local hero - and the sense of community and family she creates at the hospital is something special,” the page states.

“However, it's not easy running a small business on your own and unfortunately a big heart doesn't pay the rent.”
 
Bolstered by national media attention, the campaign eventually raised more than $26,000, allowing the doors to stay open a little while longer.

Ultimately, the stylist hopes to keep her salon at the hospital, and there’s one crucial thing she needs in order to achieve that: more paid bookings.

“I would love to be able to be busier, to be able to put on another staff member so that when I’m going up to the wards I’m not shutting shop,” she tells TODAY.
 
“[I want] to get the word out that I’m here, and you can come and visit me and get your hair done.”