CABOT — About a year ago, 19-year-old Brittany Chandler donated 10 inches of her hair to help make wigs for people who have lost their hair to cancer, alopecia or other reasons.
She said after seeing her grandmother, who died from cancer, shave her head, the 2011 graduate of Cabot High School, decided she wanted to do something more than just donate her own hair.
So Chandler and her bestfriend, Shaylece Pruett, have organized two events: one to help raise money for research, and one to collect hair to make wigs for cancer patients.
Ponytails for Patients and Bald and Beautiful both will be held from noon to 7 p.m. May 17 at Joyland Skate Center, 2020 S. Second St. in Cabot. People can donate their hair to Wigs for Kids or Pantene Beautiful Lengths, and those who feel brave can shave their heads to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.
“I just asked myself, ‘How would I feel in that position?’” Chandler said.
She also said she has known other people and has had other family members who have had cancer, and that has prompted her to organize these events even more.
“Basically, it’s just a ponytail drive,” Chandler said about Ponytails for Patients. “Your hair has to be at least 8 to 10 inches, clean and dry and free of haircare products.”
Wigs for Kids and Pantene Beautiful Lengths are charitiesthat provide handmade wigs at no cost to patients who have lost their hair.
For the second event, Bald and Beautiful, Chandler said people can shave their heads and get sponsors to donate money that will go to St. Jude Hospital.
“For each head shaved,money will be raised for St. Jude,” Chandler said. “A girl who is brave enough to shave her head will bring a higher price.”
Chandler said donors can just show up at the event and put their names on a sign-up sheet.
For more information onthe charities, visit websites for Wigs for Kids at wigsforkids. org; Pantene Beautiful Lengths at pantene.com; or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at stjude.org.
Staff writer Jeanni Brosius can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or jbrosius@arkansasonline.com.
Three Rivers, Pages 46 on 03/29/2012