Nants Foley has a good idea about some of the trauma a child can experience from unexpectedly going bald.
About five years ago, the local resident noticed a tiny patch on her head where she didn’t have any hair. Then other patches of missing hair showed up as well, and testing showed she had a form of alopecia. With those patches of missing follicles, she shaved her head and started wearing wigs.
“My husband was particularly fond of the red head,” said Foley, married to the former county superintendent, Tim Foley.
Nants Foley was OK with the change, but realized that many others “really suffer” from it, especially children who can be bullied. She explained there are varying levels of the condition – with hair loss occurring on certain areas or even all of the body.
“It is a very emotional thing for people,” she said
Eventually, about three years ago, Foley’s symptoms started reversing and the bald patches filled in. She grew her hair out and didn’t stop doing so until last week.
Foley had her hair chopped off, courtesy of Michelle Perry at Salon 218 on Fifth Street, so she can donate it to Children With Hair Loss, a nonprofit that provides hairpieces to kids with all sorts of conditions.
She thought of Perry because the stylist does her husband’s hair and she “always wants to give of herself,” Foley said.
Perry described how she sectioned the hair and cut several ponytails in order to maximize the amount of hair available for the donation. Perry also sent along a donation for the costs to make the hairpiece, Foley mentioned.
“She just knew I was a Christian,” Perry said, “and she just knew I’d probably want to do something like that.”
