Today’s post is about my recent contribution towards charity. I cut my hair for cancer the other day, and it has been such a rewarding experience.
There are many ways to give to charity, not all of them involve money, but can still be meaningful and help someone who needs it…
People Close to me Who Are Cancer Patients or Survivors
There are very few people who have not been affected by this disease we call cancer. Whether it is you personally, or someone you know. Many of my aunts and uncles have had cancer, and closer to home; my cousin is currently in remission and my father is living with cancer.
Living With the Fear
Twice in the last decade I have somehow managed to escape the clutches of cancer. So, I know first hand how scary it can be waiting for those results to come in, and dealing with a potentially really different reality. I am so thankful and grateful for my health and a little over-protective of it these days! I only have one body in this lifetime, so I need to look after it.
Making the Decision – I Cut my Hair for Cancer
Generally, I find it easier on a day to day basis to have longer hair. I can tie it up or plait it when it needs to be away from my face, or I can leave it down. I do love twirling a few strands around my finger when contemplating life every now and then.
Every few years I’d give it a good chop and allowed my hair re-nourish and replenish by itself. A few months ago I knew this time was coming up again, but I was thinking there must be something I can do instead of just sweeping it all in the bin.
The Little Princess Trust – Supporting a Worthy Cause
I remembered a friend mentioning to me a few years ago that I can donate my hair for a worthy cause. By doing so, I can contribute towards making wigs for those beautiful souls who have lost their hair due to chemo. I found The Little Princess Trust online, and did a little research of my own.
Cutting Your Hair for Cancer – Useful Tips
I found some really useful tips on the website about what I need to do before cutting my hair for donation.
They made the following suggestions:
- Tie your hair into multiple mini pony tails and then tie each mini pony tail with further hairbands to keep each section of hair as straight as possible.
- Do not plait your hair
- Wash it with shampoo, but do not use conditioner
- Make sure you hair is dry before making the big cut
D-Day – Cutting my Hair at Sakura Hair and Beauty Retreat
So, I decided this is what I was going to do! I had to wait a few months for the restrictions to ease, so in the meantime I prepared myself mentally for the big day and found out that Silvie at Sakura Hair and Beauty Retreat would be willing to help me with this. Silvie was so generous and agreed to cut my hair for free as it was going towards charity.
So, we arranged a day and that day came around so very fast. I felt nervous and excited and a whole bunch of other emotions all at the same time. Sometimes I had these fleeting moments of calling the whole thing off but once Silvie started cutting the mini ponytails, I felt so good inside I could not stop smiling.
I knew in my heart that I have made the right decision. We discussed a style before hand that I would be happy with and this way I knew exactly how much hair would be chopped off. And then she started cutting!
I thought I was going to cry, but actually I could not stop smiling. It was an amazing feeling, not just because I was cutting my hair, but because I knew it was going to help someone and make them smile. A truly beautiful feeling.
Silvie cut and styled my hair so beautifully that now a few days later, I can leave it to dry naturally and it automatically falls into place the same way it did on the day she cut it. Just amazing! I am so pleased with it and of course it surprised a few people I see on a regular basis. One friend said its very Betty Boo.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed reading about this little adventure and why I cut my hair for cancer. Have you recently done anything to help a charity? Or have you done something that surprised everyone around you? Please do share your experiences with me in the comments section.
A special thanks to Sakura Hair and Beauty Retreat and The Little Princess Trust for making this experience such a rewarding and easy one.
