A local hair drive garnered a lot in a little amount of time. In May, Integrated Elements Wellness Clinic in Williams Lake co-ordinated a hair drive, collecting hair for 360 Hair Salon in Langley to make wigs for children who have lost their hair because of cancer.
“We received 16 hair donations and raised $800 cash,” said office manager Bobbie Krist. “The Cancer Society told us they normally get 12 to 14 hair donations in a year.”
The clinic approached Country Cottage Hair Salon who agreed to offer free hair cuts the week of May 19 - 24 to anyone who would donate hair.
All of the hair was then presented to the Cancer Society at the annual Relay for Life held at Boitanio Park on May 31.
Krist credited chiropractor Dr. Christie Kronyk for coming up with the idea initially, saying once staff heard the suggestion they decided it would be a great project.
360 Hair Salon said it collects the hair and contracts several people to make the wigs.
They get several hundred donations of hair each year, and have never had to turn away any child under 19 needing a wig.
“We customize the wigs,” co-owner Ron Russell said from Langley.
“The child will pick the length, texture and colour they want. A lot of them want to replicated exactly what they had in the past. There are no restrictions.”