Courageous Sixth-Former Gives Her 'Locks of Love' for Charity

A courageous student has cut off her long, flowing locks in support of a hair loss charity. 16-year-old Megan Stapleton, a sixth-former at The Sir Robert Woodard Academy in Worthing, donated her hair to an American charity, Locks of Love. The charity provides real-hair wigs for children who have experienced hair loss caused by illness.

Supporting a worthy cause

Megan had her hair cut at The Spa in Lancing, Penhill Road, and spoke of how proud she was of her hair as a child also talking about the reasons behind her choice of charity: “I wanted to help this charity out because I've always wanted to donate something other than money to a charity that I felt really was worth it. Furthermore, the charity itself helps a wide range of young people in two countries. It also catered for a lot of reasons why people lost their hair whether it be through chemotherapy, Alopecia or Trichotillomania. I felt this charity helped a wider range of people and as a child I was always really proud of my hair. I can't imagine how upsetting it must be for a little girl or boy to lose all of their hair and potentially not have it grow back.”

Fundraising events

This isn't the only donation that Megan is making to the charity she has also held and is planning a number of fundraising events at her school, including raffles and bake sales, and has already raised £120. The Spa in Lancing is offering free fish spa treatments to anyone donating to the charity.  If you would like to make a donation please call the Sir Robert Woodard Academy Academy on 01903 767434.

Hairpieces for children

helps children under 21 experiencing long-term hair loss caused by medical conditions by providing them with hairpieces to help restore their self-esteem and confidence. A spokesperson for the charity spoke about the impact their work has on children: “The children who receive these hairpieces have lost more than their hair; they suffer from a loss of self-esteem. Many children have been teased by classmates and embarrassed by the attention the receive because of their hair loss. Whilst wearing a hairpiece is certainly not a cure for these children, it can help restore the normality to their everyday lives that most of us take for granted.”

Hair loss in children can be caused by a range of factors, including conditions such as Alopecia Areata, which causes patchy hair loss and Trichotillomania, excessive hair pulling, which leads to bald patches. It could also be indicative of nutritional deficiencies or emotional stress, and for children undergoing chemotherapy, hair loss is often a side-effect. If you've noticed your child has signs of hair loss, it's important to make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible to get a diagnosis for the problem.