My children were both long over-due for haircuts. And Spring felt like the time for it.
It’s an errand that I had kept moving down on the list until this week. I had an hour’s space between after school and when we would have dinner that I thought I’d use this time to strike this task off the list once and for all. So, I piled both kids into the car.
Stella, my seven-year-old, was not pleased. To her, getting her haircut is about as thrilling as shopping. She’d much rather be playing with her friends (and who could blame her really?). But, also. She likes her long hair. I think she worries that when the hairdresser says they will just “take a little off,” that they’ll actually hack a foot off the end. And Max? Well, at 21-months, he had no clue where we were going. Which was good, since he doesn’t like the process of getting his hair cut either.
Are you starting to see why maybe this errand had gotten pushed to the bottom of the list so many times? Anyhow. It was happening whether they liked it or not. As I was getting my seat belt on, I asked Stella if she might like a change … a shoulder-length do, bangs, a bob? She surprised me with, “I’d like to donate my hair to cancer.”
I wasn’t surprised that she knew you could donate hair to help make wigs for those who’ve lost their hair during cancer treatments. We have two friends of the family who both did this over the years and I know Stella (rightly) looks up to these girls. But I never thought I hear her say she’d want to do the same. Anytime the topic had come up with our friends, she would just look at them quietly. The look in her eyes said, “Yes, that was good for you to do that. But, no way, no how, will I be cutting all my hair off! So everyone, please stop talking about it before someone suggests that I should do it.”
My hand on my seatbelt stopped mid-motion. “Really? Are you sure?” I asked. Yes, she replied. (I only need to ask once with Stella, since unlike her parents she is very decisive.)
Long story short then — she did it! We are really proud of her.
Before
After
If you or your child is interested, here’s how:
1. Go to the Canadian Cancer Society website for a list of Canadian organizations that accept hair donations:
2. Gather the hair at the nape of the neck or at a point where the hair will be cut and secure with an elastic band. Cut the hair straight across the ponytail, just above the elastic band, keeping the hair together in the elastic band.
Cut straight across, above the elastic.
3. Then place the ponytail or braid into a zip lock bag and mail in to the organization you’ve selected.
Then pop into a hairdresser to get it trimmed and shaped into a new hair style.Voila! A new spring look! Edited on July 12th, 2012: You can follow-up on this story to see Stella’s 2nd hair donation by clicking here.
Edited on June 22nd, 2013: Hooray to another generous young woman, Finola’s daughter Niamh!
Speak Your Mind