Hair Donation

If you read my New Years resolutions posts at the beginning of this year, you would have seen my wish to donate my hair to a charity.

Around this time last year, my mum was diagnosed with the big C, and has since gone through all the chemo, radiotherapy and surgeries you would expect a cancer patient to go through.

I know a lot of people say this about their loved ones during such a hard time, but I am actually astonished at my mums courage and attitude towards the whole thing.

She worked full time throughout the whole process, and made up any days that were dedicated to chemo or appointments over the weekend. Not only this, but she still did the school run, and managed to look after three of her kids, one of which is only 10.

Everyone told her she was insane, and to slow down, but she honestly treated her cancer like a minor case of flu. 

She'd come back in the evenings and announce she'd popped up to London in her lunch break for a bout of chemo like she'd met a friend for coffee.

I don't think she moaned once about how sick or rubbish the drugs made her feel.

The occasional "I'm tired" would come up but, I almost willed her to moan more and milk the illness for all it was worth. She honestly really shocked me at how normal about the whole thing she was.

The only thing that really really knocked her was her hair loss, as it probably would anyone.

Even though she actually looked pretty hot with a number one buzz cut, going from thick curly waist length hair made her feel pretty vulnerable.

Even now, after she was given the all clear before Christmas, it is the one final thing that reminds my mum of her rubbish year, and even though she has regrown a lot of hair, she still feels as if it makes her look a 'victim'

This is why I wanted to donate my hair, as if something as small and natural to me can just cheer up someone going though such a rubbish time the smallest bit, why the hell would you not??

For the last few months, I had already resided to the fact that my hair was not mine anymore, and have looked after it as best I can so it can hopefully be transformed into a wig for a little child at the princess trust. I've stopped using heat on it, tried to keep it well oiled, and had a mini pre cut trim so the ends weren't broken.

As long as your hair is a natural colour, not made up of too many greys and over 17cm,

all you have to do is wash your hair prior without conditioner, let it dry, tie it up, and put it in a bag and post it off.

This is just my hair alone...told you I had loads of hair

Just a few days before my chop my little sister decided she also wanted to donate her hair. This is a girl who has grown up watching Tangled and always loved the idea of princess hair and relished in brushing it for hours and having people braid it.

She was so nervous before, and I think a little part of her regretted her decision, but she still went ahead and now loves her little bob!

My lovely friend Jess who is a hair dresser came over and cut it for us. She had to cut my hair off in layers as it is so thick so it took a little while. She did such a good job of our new dos (we spend our whole lives trying to look different to our siblings and myself and my two sisters all asked for the same hair cut) she even gave my mum a little trim as she had a few fluffy bits she wanted tidying up.

As for my hair, here is my new sleek summer bob.

If your hair is over 17cm and you fancy a change, please think about donating your hair to a charity.

This time of year with it getting warmer is the perfect excuse for a shorter do, and rather than have it swept up into a bin, think about what your few extra inches of hair could mean to someone else.