January 25, 2022

I Donated My Hair / Good Causes PART 3


Please Note: This post is pre-scheduled. I’m caring for a loved one receiving treatments, so my replies to comments and return visits to bloggers will be delayed. I will get to it eventually, though. Promise. Thanks for your understanding!


Good Causes:

Causes and Donations - Books, Animals, and People / PART 1

Good Causes to Support / PART 2


Every New Year, I like to cut several inches off my hair to shed the old. With long hair, it’s easy to do this, but even a trim for other lengths could be symbolic. Plus, it keeps your hair healthy.

I like having long hair. Really long hair. For me, it’s an insecurity thing. My long hair has been my security blanket. My shield. It physically covers up my body insecurities…my neck and back from my spinal deformities (scoliosis and other related issues). That’s why my plan was to keep my long hair, cut off several inches, let it regrow throughout the year, and repeat every New Year’s Day.

However, my mom was diagnosed with Stage 3-B lung cancer (non small cell adenocarcinoma) in December. (No, she’s never smoked.) She started chemo and radiation therapy in January. 

Before she started treatment, we were told she’d lose her hair.

But even before all that, my mom kept dropping hints about how she liked my hair short.

In the past, whenever I cut my hair, I tended to cut it above my shoulders for a new look and feel. And I do like how I look with short hair, but my insecurities have stopped me from cutting it that short in many years.

Then my mom was diagnosed and we prepared for her to lose her hair. That’s when I decided to cut my hair short in support of her and to donate my hair in honor of her.


Here’s the before and after:



Here are the ponytails:


My new social media profile/author photo:



I created a reel on Instagram to document the donation process. You can see it here.

I am donating my hair to Hair We Share. They DO NOT charge patients money. They also make wigs for kids AND adults, which I love since most of these “non-profits” are only for kids, but there are many adults with financial difficulties who need assistance with getting a wig while undergoing chemo and/or radiation, as a result of burns or head trauma, or who have an illness that results in hair loss.

In the past, I’ve donated my hair twice. Once in 2013 and then again in 2015. Both times I donated to Locks of Love, before I learned that they charged patients for wigs. I don’t know if they’ve changed their ways, and I don’t care. I looked for an alternative and found Hair We Share.

Hair We Share:

- never sells their wigs
- donating hair is free
- but you can donate any monetary amount to help them do their important work.
- they also offer an optional service called Ponytail Tracking where if you donate a specific amount ($145) you will receive a photo of your hair made into a wig (I love that. If I had the money, I would’ve done this, but I did manage to donate $20.)
- they accept gray hair! This is perfect for patients who had gray hair before their medical hair loss.
- they accept hair dyed natural colors (but not bleached hair)
- they accept permed hair (after ends are trimmed)
- they accepted straightened hair (after ends are trimmed)
- they accept curly and wavy hair
- they accept ponytails that are 8” if you join the Ponytail Tracking program
- otherwise, the minimum is 12”, which is usual.

For more info on how to donate your hair click here.

And for fun, here’s photos from my past hair donations.


2013 Before:


2013 After:



2015 Before:


2015 After:




Musical Inspiration:


QUESTION: Have you ever donated your hair or thought about it?




19 comments:

  1. Wow, you cut your hair! No one would recognize me if I did that. Mine's grey with some help, so it doesn't qualify anyway. So sorry your mom is going through that. Warn her from a friend of mine - nose hairs fall out, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Actually, Hair We Share accepts gray hair and dyed hair. Those are two things I listed that makes them great, since so many non-profits like this don’t accept gray, dyed, or permed hair, but they do.

      Delete
  2. You look cute with short hair. We tend to see ourselves a certain way and not realize that our insecurities are invisible to the people around us. I like my hair long because of how my hair behaves or rather how it won't behave when it's short. Well, not as long as you had it. Whatever works, right?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Liz. :)

      Well, most of my insecurities are visible to others. Scoliosis (and other spinal problems) causes much of the body to go out of whack in ways that can be noticeable.

      Yes, whatever works, whatever feels right to us. :)

      Delete
  3. If your hair has been bleached, you’d have to grow it out to get healthy,, but Hair We Share does accept dyed hair. :)

    Thanks for visiting, Patricia!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've never been able to grow out my hair long enough to donate it, but I applaud those who can and do! I love that you found an organization that doesn't charge for wigs.

    And Liz is right— you look cute with short hair. <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I feel for those who aren’t able to grow their hair out for whatever reason. I’ve been fortunate that my hair grows fast and thick.

      Thank you!

      Delete
  5. I've kept my hair relatively long my whole life. You look cute with your shorter hair. And it's awesome you did it to support your mom. So sorry that she's so sick.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am sorry to hear about your mom. It is good that you are there to help care for her. This sounds like a wonderful yearly ritual that is also helpful to others. Sadly, fate has deemed me unworthy to participate (unless it's beard hair). I like your author's profile portrait.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love your new style. It looks beautiful. I am so very sorry to hear about your mom. Cancer is such a wretched thing. I'm glad she has you to help her with this challenge. Donating your hair is a lovely way to honor her.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Well, I like it, but more importantly, do you? When I finally got a haircut (after a year of lockdown), I was so sick of my hair that I went from nearly waist-length to chin length. My head feels about ten pounds lighter, and it's been a long time since my hair got stuck in anything! I love it and hope you love yours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do like it. It’s not quite what I was thinking it’d look like, but that’s okay. 🙂

      Yes, I’d get my hair stuck in the car door on windy days. lol

      Delete
  9. Sorry to hear that your mom is going through this tough time and illness, but I'm glad you are there to be a support for her. My husband grew out his hair when we were first married to be donated. I've never given it thought. I don't think most places aren't interested in natural hair from black women,but I could be wrong. I've seen natural hair wigs for black women before but they are really really expensive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Toi.

      I actually have wondered if Hair We Share and other non-profits like it accept natural hair from Black women. I can’t find anything on their site that says they don’t accept it, but also nothing that says they do. They definitely should be transparent about that, and if they don’t, ask themselves why not; why they aren’t offering wigs for Black women and girls with natural Black hair. It can be done, as you pointed out, and Black women and girls need wigs for medical reasons, too, and having natural hair is important. I did note, though, that Hair We Share accepts curly and wavy hair in its “natural pattern.” Whether or not that includes Black hair…I don’t know.

      Delete
  10. Hi Chrys - gosh your hair was long - and I'm so pleased you donated your locks. I don't have enough to warrant saving - but I do have an #WATWB post to write up about hair ... so thanks for the reminder. I'll be thinking of you both - take care and with hugs and love to the two of you - Hilary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Hilary! And I’m looking forward to your #WATWB post about hair. 🙂

      Delete