How to Donate Hair for Chemotherapy Patients' Wigs
Chemotherapy is a medical treatment that is used to eradicate cancer. While chemo is designed to help those suffering from the disease, it also can have some unpleasant side effects. Many children and adults who undergo chemotherapy experience mild to severe hair loss. The emotional effects such a loss can provoke are often the most difficult for children. To help make the issue of hair loss a bit less distressing, there are several organizations that accept donations of human hair to make natural looking and feeling wigs for chemo patients to wear. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Clean, dry hair
- Elastic pony tail bands
- Friend or relative
- Hair-cutting scissors
- Plastic bag with sealing closure
- Padded mailing envelope
- Donation form and address of organization accepting hair donations
- Correct postage for mailing
Instructions
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Preparing Hair for Donation
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1
Choose an organization that accepts hair donations for chemotherapy patients' wigs.
Ensure that you have long-enough hair to make a donation. Organizations vary regarding the length of hair they will accept. Generally, hair needs to be 8 to 10 inches in length.
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2
Make sure your hair is clean and dry, and secure it in a low ponytail with an an elastic band.
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3
Braid your hair, and fasten it at the end with another elastic band. If you cannot braid your own hair, ask a friend or a relative to do it for you.
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4
Ask your friend or relative to cut your hair off, just above the elastic band at the top of your braid.
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5
Place the hair in a plastic bag and seal it shut.
How to Donate Your Hair
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6
Fill out the donation form for the organization to which you are donating your hair.
If there is no donation form, write your name and mailing address on a piece of paper.
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7
Place the hair, in the sealed plastic bag, and the donation form or paper containing your contact information into a padded envelope for mailing.
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8
Address the envelope to the organization that you have chosen to accept your hair donation.
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9
Check with the postal service to ensure you have the correct postage on the envelope, and mail it.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Many organizations will not accept hair that is permed, colored, highlighted or processed in any way. Ensure that you fully understand the requirements for donation, before you cut your hair.
