I will be the first person to tell you that I take my hair for granted. I have thick, curly hair. It’s soft and grows fast. And most of the time, I complain about it. I’ve told my friends numerous times that it is so annoying and the curls can be a bit obnoxious. Of course, they roll their eyes at me, mostly because they know that I’m not being entirely honest. See, the thing is, I love my hair… To a point at least. Even with all of my complaints and agitation that comes with it, I know I’m honestly really lucky to have this thick, curly hair that has left plenty of people envious. And I know what you’re thinking, “Jeez, you hate your hair, yet you love your hair, and now you’re bragging about it. Make up your mind.” I know, I know. Like I said, I am lucky to have the hair I do, but know that I do take it for granted a lot of the time.
There are kids out there who have lost their hair to cancer; Alopecia, a condition where one’s immune system mistakenly attacks their hair follicles, causing hair loss, or Trichotillomania, which is a disorder that causes people to have the irresistible urge to pull their own hair out. And without their hair, some, maybe even a lot, of these kids are bullied, and in turn, have a low sense of self-worth. The good thing to hear, though, is that people like you and me can make a difference for some of these kids through hair donation.
See, I have donated my hair 3 times, the first time when I was 15. I cut off probably close to half of my hair, a whopping 12 inches. Then, when I was 17, a few weeks before I graduated, I donated my hair again. And most recently, at the age of 19, I have made the decision to cut and donate my hair once again. I have honestly reached a point where the only reason I like growing my hair out is so that I can donate it and be a part of making a difference in a child’s life. It makes me feel good knowing that my hair can go towards making a wig for a kid who will appreciate my hair more than I ever have because I take my hair for granted. Growing up, I never once feared hair loss; it had never even been a thought in my mind. But learning about hair donations and knowing that I can make a difference for kids who do suffer puts a lot of things in perspective and it makes me appreciate my hair even more.
To learn more about a couple of donation sites, and how to donate, here are the two sites that I have donated to Children With Hair Loss and Wigs For Kids.
