Getting a haircut has never been so rewarding.
Instead of watching your hair be swept into a pile on the salon floor after you cut it, grow it long enough so that somebody will be able to enjoy it as much as you did.
Fairfield University is sponsoring a foundation called Locks of Love through Campus Ministry for the second year in a row. Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides human hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children with medical hair loss, such as cancer. Five female Fairfield students participated last year.
“This is a simple but very important way to help children battling cancer and other medical conditions,” said Erin Curtin, ’03, who is organizing the event.
In order to donate, you need to provide at least 10 inches of hair from tip to tip, bundled into a braid or a ponytail. The Finishing Touch Salon, which is located down the street from the Trumbull Mall, will be sponsoring Fairfield by giving free haircuts to anyone who plans on donating. The cut date is Tuesday, March 19.
Locks of Love is a national organization that began helping people in 1997. It has contributed hairpieces to about 200 children since then. Over 80 percent of the donors are children, making Locks of Love an opportunity for them to help out kids their age.
If you think you’d like to participate in this wonderful opportunity, the guidelines are very simple. Your 10 inch or longer ponytail or braid must be clean, dry, and placed in a plastic bag. Colored or permed hair is acceptable too, as long as it is not chemically damaged.
Curly hair may be pulled straight so that it measures the required 10 inches, and layered hair, or hair of different lengths can be separated into more than one ponytail. If you cut your long hair years ago and still have it for sentimental reasons, it can be donated as long as it was stored in a ponytail.
The hairpieces that recipients receive are custom, vacuum-fitted, and made entirely from human hair. This way, those who have experienced a total loss of scalp hair do not need to use tape or glue to keep their hairpiece in place. It takes at least 12 bundles of hair that are 10 inches long to make each authentic hairpiece.
Anyone can donate their hair. If your hair is not suitable for children’s wigs, for example if it is gray or not long enough, it will be sold to offset the cost of making the hair prosthetics. Locks of Love supports boys and girls of every race, creed and religion.
“My guess is most of us take our hair for granted,” said Curtin, “but donating it could seriously help the self-esteem and attitude of the child receiving the donation.”
For more information, go to the information desk in the Barone Campus Center, or contact Erin Curtin by e-mail at 03_ecurtin@campus.fairfield.edu.
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