After about two and half years of TLC – regular trims, minimal heat damage, moroccanoil…the works – my hair was finally as long as I’ve always wanted it to be: right at the top of my hip bone (mostly because I wanted to feel like Ariel – it’s a red hair thing). What I didn’t realize until this past summer was that my super-long hair was actually super cumbersome. It got caught on everything (and I’m quite tender-headed, so that didn’t go over very well for me), it took FOREVER to wash in the shower, and I always had to put it up after my showers because, if not, my shirt would get all wet! But, beauty is pain, right? Not on my watch! Even though I love, love, loved my long hair, I was ready for a big change.
Because I had so much hair I figured, why not donate it?! Not to toot my own horn but, there’s no use in wasting hair that is well taken care of and can make a child with hair loss really happy! So I did my research and came across an organization called Children With Hair Loss (CWHL). I know the typical route to go is Locks of Love, but recent scandals caused me to steer clear of them (but that’s a whole other story). CWHL makes wigs at no cost for cancer and alopecia patients. Here’s their mission statement:
Children With Hair Loss was created as a resource for ALL CHILDREN who have medically-related hair loss. It is their mission “to empower these children to become whole again by making hair replacement available to those who may be financially challenged and might otherwise not have a means of obtaining the hair they want and need. [Their] goal is to assist as many of these children as possible in changing their lives by improving their outlook and empowering them with a degree of self-confidence that will allow them to face the world with renewed self-esteem.”
The minimum amount of hair you can donate is eight inches, but I knew that I could give more than that, without cutting my hair too short, so I decided on 12 inches! Best decision I’ve made in a long time. I’m really happy with the way my new do turned out and that I have the ability to help boost a child’s self-esteem, even if it’s something as simple as going to get my hair cut! And if I end up growing my hair out again, I’ll definitely donate it again!