Locals donate to Locks of Love to prepare wigs for children with
hair loss
Margaret Sandoval’s hair has a higher calling. The 61-year-old
has only cut her long locks once as an adult. She has been growing
out her hair, except for the occasional trim, for 15 years. But
last week she took the plunge
– or the snip – at Starz Beauty Shop on San Benito Street when
her hairdresser Filiberto Hernandez cut her hair off at the
neck.
Locals donate to Locks of Love to prepare wigs for children with hair loss
Margaret Sandoval’s hair has a higher calling. The 61-year-old has only cut her long locks once as an adult. She has been growing out her hair, except for the occasional trim, for 15 years. But last week she took the plunge – or the snip – at Starz Beauty Shop on San Benito Street when her hairdresser Filiberto Hernandez cut her hair off at the neck.
Sandoval is just one San Benito County resident who is donating her hair to Locks of Love – a nonprofit that makes hairpieces for children and teens with hair loss, typically from the side effects of cancer treatment
“My niece passed away a few years ago from cancer,” she said. “I hope to donate this [hair] in June in her memory. We try to do something every year in her memory.”
Her teenage niece lost her hair during cancer treatment. Locks of Love will sell Sandoval’s 10-inch ponytail of gray strands at market rate.
“My hair will be sold to defray the cost of manufacturing hair pieces,” Sandoval said, adding with a laugh, “Because I am old.”
Hernandez has cut hair once before for Locks of Love. He is familiar with the guidelines set out by the organization, such as the length hair needs to be.
Hairpieces are made for children with long-term hair loss from burns or radiation treatments for brain cancer. The majority of children who receive pieces from Locks of Love have alopecia, an autoimmune disease that results in the loss of hair on the scalp and body.
“It can take four to six months to manufacture a prosthetic [wig],” said Lauren Kukkamaa, communications director of the Florida-based organization. “We provide a synthetic hairpiece in the meantime.”
The hairpieces are custom made to fit the needs of each child. Children with long-term hair loss can apply for additional prosthetics every 18 months. The organization also provides synthetic hairpieces for children with short-term hair loss.
“We are in a position to help more and more families,” Kukkamaa said. “We don’t have a waiting list and we want to reach out to those children who could use a hair piece.”
The organization has given out 2,000 prosthetic hairpieces since its start in 1997. It takes six to eight donations of 10-inch ponytails or braids to make one piece. Locks of Love’s Web site has before and after pictures of donors and recipients (www.locksoflove.org).
More than 80 percent of those who donate are children, though they will accept any hair that meets the guidelines. The group needs hair from people of all ethnicities, and from both women and men.
Isaias Rivera is a local man who has donated his hair to the organization and plans to lop off his locks again in January.
“As a kid, I always wanted to grow my hair out, but parental restrictions didn’t allow it,” he said. “Once I got older, I grew my hair and I figured that would be a good reason to get anyone who doesn’t like it off my back. And it’s for a good cause.”
It takes him two years to grow his straight, sandy blond hair to about 11-12 inches in length.
“It grows out. I have long hair and I can help out some kids,” he said.
Yolanda Beltran, an employee at the Hollister Community Center, has also donated her hair in the past. She donated to help children with cancer since some family members have struggled with the illness.
“Its something so simple,” she said. “There is no pain when you get your hair cut. It’s a small act of kindness to help someone else.”
For more information on donating to Locks of Love or applying for a hairpiece for someone under 18 with hair loss, visit www.locksoflove.org or call 1-888-896-1588.
