Recently, I mentioned how I donated my hair twice to an organization called Locks of Love. Since then that topic has generated a lot of interest on this blog so I thought it would be good to write a little more about it.
I’ve always had long hair that grows really fast, but I’ve also spent most of my life playing some kind of sport or another. So it was always a challenge to keep that long hair back while still staying active. Finally, around the time I was a freshman in high school, I took the plunge. Standing on the rim of my bathtub while my Dad carefully measured off 10 inches of my hair, I then tied it in a ponytail, and winced as he snipped. Then I put the ponytail in a plastic bag, put the plastic bag in a padded envelope, and shipped it off to Locks of Love in Florida. Another identical package went off about 5 or 6 months later. So, up till now I’ve donated 20 inches of hair to LOL, and I’d like to do more in the future. I was inspired by a lot of my friends and relatives who’ve done the same thing.
So what is Locks of Love? This not-for-profit, non-religious organization provides hairpieces to disadvantaged children aged 18 and under who suffer from medical conditions that cause them to lose their hair. The most common of these is an auto-immune condition called alopecia areata which has no known cause or cure. Other circumstances that applicants are dealing with include chemotherapy treatment for cancer, dermatological conditions, or severe burns. Each child and their family are screened by the Locks of Love Board of Directors before receiving their very own custom-fitted prosthesis. These hairpieces are handmade from 6 to 10 donations of 10 or more inch-long cuts of human hair, and require 4 to 6 months to make.
Many families dealing with a severe accident or illness befalling one of their children do not have the resources to pay for a hairpiece, which can cost from $3,500 to $6,000! Locks of Love provides these protheses free of charge or for a nominal fee, depending upon individual financial need. Imagine being forced to go to school every day and to face the world around you, not only sick or hurt and confused, but also bald. A hairpiece gives a child much-needed confidence and restores a sense of normalacy during a very, very difficult time.
If you have long hair and are interested in donating, or if you know of a child deserving nomination, visit the Locks of Love website for more information.
I like knowing that rather than going around with twice the hair I need, a child somewhere can face each day just a little more bravely because of me. It’s just a haircut…but for some kids, it is so much more. Get involved by checking out Locks of Love.
