For teenage girls, three of the things we worry about most are relationships, crash diets, and haircuts (haircuts, for me, are always at the top of the list). You make the appointment, and the whole run up to it you say to yourself “I’ll do something different with it this time” to then later get in the chair and say to your hairdresser “No more than an inch off the length please”.
When I went for my hair appointment this summer and I turned to my hairdresser saying to cut 14 and a half inches off, I thought she was going to jump up and down with glee that she could do more with my hair than that little inch. I went from having hair down to my bum, to hair above my shoulders. My hair was my safety blanket, and so very much a part of my image, then one day I asked myself “when did I let my hair define who I was when there are people all around the world who are losing their hair every day?”.
I realised I didn’t have to hide behind my hair anymore, and I decided to donate 14 and a half inches to little boys and girls who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy treatment. Don’t get me wrong, when my hairdresser had my hair in multiple plaits ready to cut my heart was pounding, my breath picked up, and I felt a lump in my throat. She then handed me the scissors and asked me if I wanted to make the first cut. With the thought of doing someone good, I took the scissors in one hand and a clump of hair in the other and cut off seven years of hair.
Even though cutting my hair took a massive toll on me, it’s nothing compared to what anyone facing cancer has to go through, especially young children who are only trying to start their lives. Cancer is an indiscriminate killer; it doesn’t care whether you’re male or female, young or old, and is the second leading cause of death worldwide. The charity I donated my hair to was the Little Princess Trust; who take in hair and cash donations to help make the fight just a little bit easier. It takes up to six people to donate over 7 inches of hair to make one wig. I hope whoever is where a sixth of my hair in their wig is wearing it with pride, because I’m beaming to have the opportunity to be that one sixth.
(Well done to Ellie! More information about the work of the charity and how to fundraise/ donate can be found here: http://www.littleprincesses.org.uk)