After three years, a woman cuts her hair
Published: February 6, 2007
Three and a half years ago West Linn resident Jan Hunt began a new beauty regimen – not cutting her long hair.
The reason?
Hunt – a second-grade teacher at Sexton Mountain Elementary School in Beaverton – says a former first-grade student inspired her to grow her hair long so that she could then donate her lengthy locks to a nonprofit that provides hairpieces to children who suffer from medical hair loss.
Last week, in front of her class, Hunt gave that student, Josh Dikih (now a senior at Beaverton High School) the honor of cutting off her long, black hair.
Hunt told students that she hopes the event is something they will remember.
“I chose this donation rather than giving a monetary one because I felt that it had greater meaning, for a child and for me,” said Hunt. “It was a way to honor a former student who has been an inspiration to me.”
A close friendship
Dikih and Hunt have been friends for years – she helped him out during rough spots in his life; he volunteered in her classroom as a role model to her young students.
It was when Dikih was still a student at Sexton Mountain that he noticed his then brown-red hair disappearing.
“In fifth grade, I started losing it,” he said. “In sixth grade I was totally bald.”
The hair loss was the result of a rare, genetically random disease, called alopecia areata.
“It’s an auto-immune disease and what happens is white blood cells attack your hair follicles,” Dikih explained.
Hunt learned of Dikih’s disease when he was in the eighth grade.
She asked him to help in her class and they’ve stayed close ever since.
Shortly before Tuesday’s cut, Josh’s mother, Rosa Dikih, carefully measured Hunt’s hair to make sure they had the required amount.
“Josh is going to cut a good 12 inches,” Hunt announced to her second-graders.
That 12 inches ended up being 16. Hunt was known for her waist-length hair.
“Oh my God, I can feel it,” Hunt said after her hair was trimmed. “How does it look?”
A quick query showed students approved of Hunt’s new look.
“I really like it,” said William Lutey, one of her second-graders. “She does look a lot better.”
Another second-grader, Marley Mackin, agreed.
“I just think it looks different,” said Mackin.
Hunt’s hair is to be donated to Locks of Love, which will separate her gray hair from her black hair, selling the dark hair to offset the cost of making hair prosthetics.
Locks of Love uses an estimated 150,000 hairs to create its hairpieces, which would cost between $3,500 and $6,000 if they had to be purchased.
Trip to the stylist
For Hunt, she said, her hair donation was “a gift of the heart.”
Because the quick cut left her hair a little bit uneven, Hunt visited her stylist and now sports a bob.
“I feel less strain on my neck and my neck is colder,” said Hunt. “I feel like a new person. … This donation will benefit a child. I feel that I’m smiling both on the inside and on the outside.”
Dikih said he appreciates the emotional support Hunt and other teachers have provided him.
“To come back and give back to these guys was one of those ultimate things,” he said.
Dikih said his classroom volunteering experience has him thinking of entering the teaching profession as well.
“It’s been one of the goals in my life that I’ve thought about,” he said. “It’s either that or my race car driver dreams.”
Hunt’s continued dreams to influence children through positive experiences remain sharp, while her hair remains much, much shorter.
“I’m just thrilled,” Hunt said when it was over, sharing an emotional moment with Rosa Dikih.
“This was all done to honor this young man who I think the world of.”
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