Hair.It's a musical.
It's a movie.
It's a fad or a style -bob, beehive, bowl, afro, mullet, fauxhawk, mohawk, flat top, combover, dreadlocks.
It's an image:
Cyndi Lauper
Fabio
Dorothy Hamill
Bo Derek in the movie "10"
CherHair defines me, you, everyone, in some way.
Unless you have cancer and are undergoing treatment that is.
In that case, it's your lack of hair that defines you to all those around you. And so we come upon the reason for this post, what exactly do "hair" and "doing what you can" have to do with each other?
Locks of Love
I've been wanting to talk about this for a few months but haven't been able to, for some reason, it's really not all that private but it felt private.
For those who regularly read me, you know of my friend from work, who retired much earlier this year, unplanned, to take care of his wife and make the most of the time they had left as she was diagnosed with the most aggressive form of brain cancer. Most diagnosed live just 2-4 months postdiagnosis.
It's earlier this year he helped me remember that most things in life are just life, very few things are tragedies.
Though they've endured the surgery, virtually the only option, and many rounds of chemo and radiation, to buy time, her hair loss and his shaved head in support, a few 'no growth' MRI's, they received news in late October that the cancer is back, the tumor grew so much in the previous 4 weeks that the doctors encouraged her to have another surgery. The news was grim, likely just a few months left.
A great friend, a very gentle and giving person, is losing his life companion to a horrible disease. He is powerless and those of us standing in the sidelines are also. What can anyone do now? Other than wish for peace for them, there's not much. So I decided months ago to donate hair to Locks of Love. And I know even that will not help them, but perhaps someone will benefit.
So why is this so private to me? I can't really explain that, but perhaps it's just cause I am a very private person. In order to really understand who I am you have to be willing to curl up by the fireplace, open the cover on my book and sit and read a while. Only E and a few of my colleagues at work knew why my hair was looking pretty "overgrown". But I hope by writing about this I can inspire just ONE of you to skip a hair cut or two or to simply cut some already very long hair.
It seems so simple eh? It really is. Just skip a few hair cuts.
Please consider it, it's for a great cause. I'm not sure what it is about our hair that seems to define so many of us, but in the midst of facing cancer, I would imagine that facing the loss of your hair would be insult on top of injury.
9 comments:
My daughter is a Pacific Islander. Long hair is very cultural and the norm. She had long beautiful thick hair. At age 8.5 she wanted to cut some off and made the decision to cut A LOT of so she could donate to Locks of Love. It's pretty short now. What a kid! (And she still looks fabulous!)
Wow Lisa. I am humbled by what you've done and I think its fantastic. Perhaps I will keep growing mine and do the same. I have a good friend who is very ill with cancer and although this will not help her...it could help someone.
You (as I've always said) have an amazing heart.
See you tomorrow.
(ps...I'd curl up next to a fire and read your book anytime)
Locks of Love is wonderful. That's absolutely fantastic what you did. If I didn't have the slowest growing hair on the face of the planet, I would do it too. I can barely get it past my shoulders. However, I think I will do Team in Training this Winter/Spring. Team in Training is a benefit for leukemia/lymphoma (but also benefits some other cancers because many of the treatments developed for leukemia (chemo) can be used with other diseases). You raise money and then run a long distance race. Last year I ran a half marathon in honor of a 4 year old girl who is in remission from leukemia. I got to know her and her family quite well. I was actually thinking today about what I should do this year... But this post is a sign!!! It's a sign to run the race once again. Thanks for writing this post. It has inspired me (as many of them do).
This is a great thing you are doing in honor of your friend and his wife. I am so sorry to hear that things are worse for her.
We each do our own charitable work that help make us feel complete as people. No matter what the cause, helping those less fortunate or in trouble makes us human.
Best of luck for quick growth. I'm sure someone will be very grateful to you for your donation.
I have been growing out my hair since we became DTC....I am really just about an inch from being able to donate. I had planned to keep growing it until we got our referral but....it may be past my knees by then. So I am planning to cut it in the spring, and even better our exchange student is planning on cutting hers too.
So good for you, I am sorry to hear about your friend, but I feel good to know that my tiny contribution will help someone in the same situation.
as bizarre as this sounds.... I plan to donate some horse tail.
My hair was too sundamaged
(fried) to use
but classy.... hers is lovely and I don't think she'll mind.
Whim is white.... so that may be kinda weird.
but Classy is a bright auburn.
Have a great 2008 and for speedy referrals... take care and keep safe...
As a pediatric brain tumor nurse, I sooo support it. My patients are sooo thankful for this organization!
Wonderful, L. It really does have to be one of the easiest yet one of the most important ways one could contribute.
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