Mesa Legend - News - Locks of Love: Donating more than just hair

Locks of Love: Donating more than just hair
Kimberly Bryant
Mesa Legend
Mesa Community College student Christina Haase arranged for haircutters from Toni and Guy hair salon to come to the Southern and Dobson campus to cut hair for the Locks of Love organization last Wednesday.

The hair-a-thon took place at MCC’s Kirk Center in the Navajo Room. “It was actually a pretty big turn out,” Celeste Wyrick, Locks of Love participant said. “There were girls crying and freaking out because all of their hair was getting chopped off.”

Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides donated hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children who suffer from long-term or permanent hair loss due to a medical condition called alopecia areata.

The process of providing a child a hair prosthesis, (hairpiece) takes approximately six months, according to the Locks of Love official website. It begins when a loved one nominates a child who is need of hair but whose family cannot financially afford a custom made wig which can range anywhere from $3,500 to $6,000.

“There are a lot of hair salons who donate willing clients’ hair (to Locks of Love),” Casey Fox, Toni and Guy hairstylist said. “After cutting ten or twelve inches off of somebody’s hair and the stylist knows it could go to a good cause, I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be donated.” Casey said. “To know that you have just spared a young child their self esteem, that in itself is a very rewarding feeling.”
Participant Autumn Smart agreed. “It feels good to know you’re helping little girls feel better about tough situations they are in,” Smart said. “I try to donate every year and a half, when my hair grows out long enough to meet the ten inch requirement,” Smart said.

Locks of Love participants need to have at least ten inches of hair, tip to tip to donate. Hair from both sexes, young or old and any race is accepted. The hair may be colored or permed but may not be bleached or chemically damaged.

For more information on Locks of Love, visit their official website at www.locksoflove.org.com or call MCC Student Life at (480) 461-7285.