10-year-old donates hair to Locks of Love
Published: June 14, 2005
When Hannah Upton, 10, saw a television show about children who had lost their hair because of disease or illness, she said she immediately wanted to help by sharing her full head of brownish-blond hair with some of them.
After all, Hannah said her hair grows really fast.
“I made her ask for about three months because that was an important decision,” said Tina Bazor, Upton’s mother. “I was afraid if I let her cut it, she might regret it.”
True to her word, Bazor said Upton begged until she was given the OK to donate her hair to Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that provides hair pieces for children who have lost their hair because of medical conditions. Bazor said her daughter’s hair had been growing for four years.
“Me, her and her daddy went to get her hair cut,” Bazor said. “Talk about something that would bring a grown man to tears. It was more emotional for me and her daddy than it was for her.”
Upton, a W.L. Smith Elementary student, said she was excited because she “wanted all the people to have hair like other children who have hair.”
“I couldn’t wait because I was just anxious to get my hair cut for Locks of Love,” she said, adding she’s anxious for her hair to grow out again so she can donate more.
Jennifer Sholar at Studio 7 in Petal had the honor of cutting about 10 inches of Hannah’s hair. This was not the first time the Petal beautician had cut hair for Locks of Love. Studio 7 hosts free hair cuts by appointment on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for anyone who wants to donate their hair to Locks of Love.
Sholar said her daughter was the first one to get a Locks of Love hair cut at Studio 7 and that started the tradition.
“We decided to continue (cutting for Locks of Love) as our community service for the salon,” she said. “We have been cutting for Locks of Love for about four years and have sent in over 250 ponytails. I would say 60 percent of those are children.”
Upton said it was easier to cut her hair because two of her friends had already cut theirs for Locks for Love. She said after her haircut, four other classmates also decided to donate hair to the charity.
She said it would be neat if she could meet the child who receives her hair.
“When they get my hair, I hope they’re happy,” she said.
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