Local girl donates hair to special charity

Eight-year-old Taylor Strat-ford has shown true holiday spirit this year by getting her long locks cut to benefit children with medical hair loss, all across the nation.

Stratford sat down in the hair dressing chair of Perry Green on Dec. 28 to have 10 inches of hair cut so it could be donated to Locks of Love, a not-for-profit organization producing hair pieces. Unlike other hairpiece and extension providers, Locks of Love donates their products to children all across the United States and Canada who have hair loss due to medical conditions.

Locks of Love was originated in 1997 by current president Madonna Coffman. The organization works to collect hair donations which are then sent to a manufacturing company that produces the hair pieces. Locks of Love then distributes the finished products free of charge to youths.

submitted photo-- Taylor Stratford, 8, holds the 10-inch ponytail she plans to donate to Locks of Love, a national charity providing free hairpieces to children with medical hair loss.

Any child 18 years old or younger, with a physician-diagnosed cause for hair loss is accepted in the program.

Lauren Kukkamaa, communications director for Locks of Love, said, "We help children up to 18 years old who have had hair loss from any diagnoses." Since its launch, Locks of Love's small Florida office housing only six employees has been responsible for providing more than 2,000 children throughout the United States with hairpieces.

There are several conditions to hair donations and according to Kukkamaa one of the most important rules to follow is that donated hair must be in a ponytail when it is cut and left in that form while shipped. This is to ensure designers of the hair pieces know which direction the hair grew naturally. Kukkamaa said, multiple strands of hair facing opposite directions within one extension will tangle severely and form a poor-quality wig.

Hair is also to be dry and clean before shipping. "Usually if someone sends in wet hair, it will be molded or mildewed by the time it arrives here and we cannot use it," said Kukkamaa.

Those with gray hair or hair less than 10 inches long can still make a donation to the company; however, this hair is made into wigs or extensions and sold rather than transformed into hairpieces for the children. This helps to alleviate some of the cost spent in manufacturing the pieces. According to Kukkamaa it can take anywhere from six to 10 hair donations just for one piece to be created.

Taylor expressed great happiness in not only her new hair style but also in helping children who are less fortunate than she. Monica Stratford, Taylor's mother and a teacher at Bronaugh schools said, Taylor became familiar with the program after she overheard her speaking about it with other students. After that, she decided to get a hair cut for the program, completely on her own. "I didn't talk her into it at all, she just decided after Christmas she wanted to do it."

A full list of steps to follow if interested in donating or receiving hair is available online at www.locksoflove.org. or representatives can assist with questions at (888) 896-1588.