A Whole Lot of Clipping Going On
Each year over 1,000 children who are suffering from medically caused hair loss are provided with custom-fitted, hair cranial prosthesis made from donated hair through a charitable organization called ‘Locks of Love.’ And a lot of that hair is coming from Park City, Utah.
Since 1997, this non-profit venture has been spearheaded by Madonna Coffman, a retired nurse who has firsthand experience coping with the difficulties of alopecia (a medical condition with no known cause or cure that results in partial to complete hair loss). She developed the condition in her 20s. Even more challenging than her own hair loss, however, she relates through her Web site, was when her young daughter was struck with the mysterious condition and lost all of her hair at the age of 4.
Today, ‘Locks of Love’ provides custom, vacuum-fitted, authentic hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children under the age of 18, who otherwise may not be able to afford the $3,500 to $6,000 retail price tag of such a hair piece. Most of the recipients are suffering from alopecia. Some of the recipients, though, are suffering from long-term hair loss due to medical treatments such as chemotherapy or permanent hair loss due to other causes, such as severe burns.
Lindy Rodabough, manager of Park City Great Clips, the only participating ‘Locks of Love’ salon in Park City, says she sends in between six to 10 donated ponytails about every other month. Other Park City donors send in their own locks after having hair cut at non-participating salons.
“This is a great program,” says Lindy, who donated an 18-inch ponytail of her own dark brown locks about two years ago. “I am glad we are participating. It gives people added incentive to donate.” Participating salons like Great Clips do not charge for the haircut when someone donates the required minimum length of hair (10 inches.)
Most of the donors at Lindy’s salon are young girls, which is not surprising since according to ‘Locks of Love,’ 80 percent of donors are under the age of 18.
One young donor from Park City who has offered her locks three times since 1998 and is planning a fourth donation as soon as her hair grows long enough, is 13-year-old Heidi Reighard.
“It makes me feel good knowing that I can help someone, somewhere,” says Heidi about her multiple donations. Older sister Alison and best friend Marina Wilson have also donated their hair, although not as regularly as Heidi.
But what if you don’t have 10 inches of hair to donate? The organization also accepts financial contributions which are needed to pay for the manufacturing of the hair pieces. To find out more about ‘Locks of Love’ and how you can help, please visit their Web site at www.locksoflove.com.
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