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Repeat performance: Girl again donates ‘Locks’ |
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Tuesday, 21 July 2009 |
Fifteen-year-old Hannah Burns has been thinking of others for a long time. Hannah's new short hairdo is special to her because she acquired it out of concern for others.
Hannah, whose parents are Tod and Dewanna Burns of Benton, recently donated a goodly portion of her hair to Locks of Love, a nonprofit charity based in the United States.
The organization accepts donations of human hair and money, with the stated intention of making wigs for needy children who have lost their hair due to a medical condition.
This isn’t a first-time act of kindness for Hannah. As a kindergartner, she cut her long hair and donated it to Wigs for Kids, a charity similar to Locks of Love. A few years later, when she was in the third grade, she made another donation to this organization.
Hannah is now a sophomore at Benton High School, a time of life when many teenagers tend to focus on themselves. She, however, has demonstrated her compassion and concern for others by once again donating her hair to help someone who has lost hair because of illness.
This time Hannah made the donation with a specific person in mind — her uncle, David Whitfield, a cancer patient.
Hannah’s mother said Hannah “was thinking of all her uncle has been going through and what he still is going through.”
“Hannah is thankful for her health and willing to be able to do something special for others,” her mother said.
Whitfield, a Benton resident, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma about 18 years ago and underwent a stem-cell transplant in 2000, Burns said.
“The disease came back in February last year, but he got it in remission,” she said. “However, he was diagnosed with pre-leukemia and also had that in remission for a time, but it also came back.
“He is still gong through the treatments, doctors’ appointments and lab visits.”
To be eligible to receive a hairpiece from Locks of Love, a child must meet the following guidelines:
•Be 18 or younger.
•Have long-term or short-term hair loss from alopecia areata (an autoimmune illness), scalp burns or a similar medical condition.
•Provide proof of financial need.
Locks of Love does not provide all hairpieces free. According to its Web site, prices for human-hair wigs are set on a sliding scale based on the recipient’s family income.
Locks of Love reportedly accepts donations from people of all ages, races and nationalities. However, there are some specific requirements for hair donations they accept. Following are those requirements are:
•Donated hair must be 10 inches or longer. (Curly hair can be pulled straight to meet the requirement.)
•Hair may not be bleached, chemically damaged or overprocessed, but permed or colored hair is acceptable.
•Hair must be in the form of a clean, dry ponytail or braid. Dreadlocks are not accepted.
•Hair that is less than 10 inches or gray is separated from the donations and sold to offset manufacturing costs.
Wigs for Kids is a nonprofit organization started by Jeffrey Paul and creates wigs for children who have lost their hair either permanently or temporarily because of a medical condition. This organization accepts donations of hair and money. Volunteers conduct fundraisers to offset wig costs. No child is charged for a wig, unlike other nonprofits.
Following are the requirements for donated hair:
•It may be cut by anyone, then placed in a plastic bag or wrapped in plastic before sending.
•Include a minimum of 12 inches of dry hair in a ponytail or braid. (Curly hair can be pulled straight to measure)
•Hair must not be processed in any way, including perming.
•Gray hair is acceptable.
To apply for a wig, a child must meet the following criteria:
•Be 18 or younger.
•Have lost hair through chemotherapy, radiation treatments, alopecia areata, burns or other medical circumstances.
•Fill out a form and send it in.
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