A cut above the rest

Hi All…

I have a question for you. Have you ever noticed a child who, for whatever reason, didn’t have any hair? I’m not talking about a baby or just having really short hair or a style or even shaved, I’m talking about a little boy or girl who due to burns, cancer or other disease has lost their hair as in bald? Did you stare? Did you just take a peek and think to yourself, “Oh my” Did you think to yourself about how you felt sorry for them and their family?

I know I would be self-conscious as a 6 yr old. Or even as a 10, 15 or 20 yr old if I was bald. You know some other children make fun of them and, sadly some adults.
Well, I know I have stared and didn’t mean to. I think that WAS human nature until I start re-evaluating what I was seeing. I didn’t want to feel sorry for that child … I wanted to help!!!

I found a place on the internet called `Locks of Love’. They take long hair and makes wigs (hair prosthetics) for these special children in need. The wigs are made for kids who suffer from hair loss. And how was I able to help? I contacted LOCKS of LOVE and they explained how folks (like you and me) can send long locks of hair and that is how they get to make the wigs for the children. Most women are used to at one time or another having long hair that could be cut and used as a gift. Men are a different situation. Few men have that long a hair… unless you grow it special for the LOL. So I did….

And when it was long enough, I cut and mailed it to LOL. In return, they sent me a nice thank you card. But the best part of this whole deal is how it made me feel to help. It was hard for me (as a man) to grow that stuff. Each time it got hung in a branch or got caught under me when sleeping or when the wind used it like a whip on my face/eyes, I hated it more. Was it worth it? Oh yes. Each inconvenience made me remember why I was growing it and that made it worth while.

My hair was being used to make life easier for some child who faces the world without hair. Think about that for a minute. How would you feel as a child? Most of those kids I have met are braver than I ever was. And they deserve our help…
Did you catch I said `OUR’ in the last sentence? You see you can jump on this wagon too and help. It just takes growing a little extra hair or cutting that long hair you have now. Many Beauty Shops and Barber Shops cut hair for free if it is going to Locks of Love.

Some might feel that the hair is vain but it is much more than that. It is a tool to allow a young boy or girl to walk down the street with their heads held high. It is a tool to re-building self- esteem.

I would ask you to consider this very special gift. I did it and I’m proud I did (3 times now). The following pics are from the first time I cut my hair for LOL. The first two is before and of course the last two is me without my long hair. I missed it for a while but started regrowing it THE NEXT DAY. By the way, Molly cuts the locks off for me. And I would cut hers too ... but not so close.








Jay

The following is taken from Locks of Love web site http://www.locksoflove.org/

WHAT IS LOCKS OF LOVE?HATLocks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. We meet a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses we provide help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers.

Mission StatementOur mission is to return a sense of self, confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails to provide the highest quality hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged children. The children receive hair prostheses free of charge or on a sliding scale, based on financial need.