Hair for the Giving
December 5, 2011
This was no ordinary visit to the hair salon for Melissa Carnovale. She sat stoically in the chair, her beautiful, thick brown hair in a long braid falling down her back. She had been growing her hair for three years. Today she was cutting it all off. Melissa was donating her hair to Angel Hair for Kids .
On Saturday, December 3rd, at Natural Solutions at Fairview Mall a small crowd gathered as Albina Figliomeni laboured to cut 30.5 centimetres (12 inches) of Melissa’s extremely thick hair. With her mother, Mary, standing by, Melissa’s smile grew with each cut. It took Albina a fair bit of arm-work to complete the task. And then it was done. No half-way point. No baby steps. The braid was gone.
“It feels so good,” said Melissa upon being a short-haired person once again, her bright smile reflective of her attitude towards this giving gesture. She was now holding her trophy — what was a part of her just a few moments ago.
“I do it because I can” is the simplicity with which she minimizes this deed that most of us would not brave. “It is easy to grow.”
“Most people give money,” says Melissa. “Since we are not going to find a cure [for cancer] soon, this is my way of helping those who have to cope with it.” For Melissa, the hands-on, tangible action is her most meaningful way of giving.
In a culture that places so much emphasis on outward appearance, this donation requires a strong sense of self in order to risk the loss. The inner journey is the most remarkable in this gesture. It is a demonstrative physical act with a much larger emotional impact. That is where Melissa’s action touches us all.
Melissa has been very quiet about her endeavour, only telling her immediate family her intentions. Her colleagues at work will be very surprised when she comes sporting a whole new look, not even suspecting what she has given of herself in this makeover.
Angel Hair for Kids™ is a program of A Child’s Voice Foundation™. They provide wigs and hair loss solutions to financially disadvantaged children in Canada who have lost their hair due to medical conditions, cancer treatments, alopecia, and even burns. Using hair that is donated to the program, the foundation creates wigs and hair systems and provides them at no cost to the child’s family.
“She is such a good kid — and this is her second time,” beamed her proud mother. Last time, Melissa donated to a program for women.
We look forward to being with Melissa again when she gives so generously in another three years.
Action Items:
- Donate your hair
- Organize an event for Angel Hair for Kids
- Explore the various organizations dedicated to making wigs for people dealing with hair loss due medical treatments
