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?