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A hairdo with a purpose
By LOGAN NEILL SPRING HILL -- Today is Sarah Zack's birthday. For the 8-year-old, it's a special day. There's going to be a party, and most likely her friends and family will celebrate with some presents as well. But the J.D. Floyd Elementary second-grader can rest assured that the gift she gave last week to someone she doesn't even know will continue to be special for years to come. That gift, a 14-inch ponytail cut from her hair last Saturday, is destined for the head of someone who can't grow their own. The decision to donate her hair came last month when Sarah learned of a nonprofit organization called Locks of Love that provides custom-fitted wigs to cancer victims and others whose chemotherapy treatments have left them unable to grow their own hair. "I just thought it would be something to do that might help somebody be happier," said Sarah. An honor student at Floyd, Sarah had had long hair for as long as she can remember. But the decision to do it didn't take much effort, especially after she called up Locks of Love's Web site at www.locksoflove.org. "I saw kids my age who didn't have any hair and looked kind of sad," she said. "It seemed a little unfair, because the reason they lost it was because they had to take medicine in order to get better." Her mother, Amy, who teaches at Floyd, made arrangements for the cut, which the organization specified must be at least 12 inches long to make a usable wig. The ponytail was then wrapped and put into a plastic bag and sent to the organization's main office in South Florida. From there, it will be combined with 14 other hair bundles of similar color to make an adult- or child-sized wig. Meanwhile, Sarah is adjusting to her new look. And although she misses being able to tie her hair up with her favorite pins and clips, she'd much rather know that her example might inspire others girls in her school to do the same. "I have a friend, Kayla, who said she would cut hers, but only if I went first," said Sarah. "The only thing I have to do now is make sure she keeps her promise."
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From today's Hernando Times Letters |
