A cut above
Published: December 6, 2006
Grace Cottage Hospital has seen a decrease of hair in the past two months.
But it was all for a good cause.
Five women, all employees at the hospital, decided to cut off lengths of their hair to donate to Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization that makes wigs for cancer patients and those suffering from other hair loss-related illnesses.
All the women cut their hair between early October and early November.
“We all got our hair cut without even talking to each other about it,” said Laura Smith, who donated 10 inches of her brunette hair to Locks of Love.
Smith said it took her a long time to grow her hair long enough to do it, and it was most likely a one-time thing for her.
“I had to wait until convertible season was over,” said Smith, the rehabilitative services secretary at the hospital.
Smith said she understands the importance of wigs for cancer patients, due to the fact that she suffered from cancer and had chemotherapy 15 years ago and lost her hair.
“I’ve known a lot of people who have had cancer,” said Pam Coburn, a physical therapy assistant. Coburn said she donated much of her hair on Oct. 7.
To donate to Locks of Love, hair needs to be at least 10 inches. Nurse Jodi Perkins said she has donated three times and given a total of 46 inches of hair.
Perkins said she now intends to give to Locks of Love every time her hair in long enough.
According to the Locks of Love Web site, at least 10 inches of clean, dry hair must be bundled in a ponytail or braid, then inserted into a plastic bag and sent in a padded envelope.
Locks of Love said most of the hair it receives comes from children who want to help other children.
The nonprofit organization started under the guidance of Madonna Coffman, a retired cardiac nurse in the Palm Beach, Fla., area.
The Web site said she started by keeping donations in her garage, but the charity soon got a space in a hospital and began working to manufacture wigs. The charity has since grown from 21 hairpieces donated in the first year to getting more than 1,500 pieces a week during their busiest time of year donated from all 50 states.
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