Six-year-old Shaylee Matthews said she just wants to bring joy to everyone in the world.
On Thursday, Oct. 25 the Williams Lake Kindergartener made good on that sentiment by cutting her hair to donate for wigs for cancer patients.
“I’m happy right now and I just want to make everyone else in the world happy,” Shaylee said just after she got her hair cut.
Shaylee has always loved long, Rapunzel-like hair, said her grandmother Jackie Potter, who noted that made her decision to cut her hair off all the more remarkable. Potter said her granddaughter was first motivated by a news story she saw last month regarding the theft of 150 wigs intended for children with cancer.
Read More: At least 150 wigs meant for kids with cancer stolen in Vancouver
Many skipped the first week of school in favour of waiting for a wig, so Shaylee wished to help do her part and make them happy. So, this past Thursday, Shaylee went to the Red Door Spa and Salon to have her hair properly prepared and cut to make a wig.
Shaylee’s mother, Kayla Matthews, couldn’t be prouder of her daughter’s decision. Something she wanted to make clear was Shaylee made this decision on her own, neither she nor anyone else in her family suggested she do this, it all came from her daughter.
“She had seen that a bunch of wigs had gotten stolen and the kid’s wigs hadn’t been returned,” Kayla said. “She has never had short hair. She’s always grown it out long and wanted long hair. Then she made the decision she wanted to donate it and she wants to continue to donate it.”
Her enthusiasm and ambition, according to Kayla, is already growing for future donations, as Shaylee hopes Kayla and close friends agree to donate their hair with her for next time. Kayla believes this desire and interest is at least in part due to the fact a girl at her daughter’s school has cancer, so Shaylee has seen the process and effects of losing hair personally.
The Matthews’ will be donating Shaylee’s hair to Wigs for Kids B.C. and Kayla said she will support her daughter again if her decision to repeat the donation remains unchanged.
“Your hair grows back. When people are in times of struggle a simple wig can make a huge difference for them, kids or adults, it’s not a painful thing and it’s a way to help someone when they’re in need,” Kayla said. “I’m just very proud of her and the choices that she made.”
Read More: Theft of wigs for kids who have cancer is ‘heartbreaking:’ shop manager
For Shaylee herself, the hair donation was an exciting and at times overwhelming process but left her feeling good at the end. Indeed, for her, the entire point of donating hair was to help others feel good about themselves, even when fighting disease like cancer.
“I’m feeling happy that other people are going to wear my wigs because, I feel like, they’re going to be happy,” Shaylee said.
To donate hair you need at least eight inches of length across the board, with various organizations taking and specializing in different qualities of hair.
To find out more, visit the Canadian Cancer Society’s website.
patrick.davies@wltribune.com
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