For donors, shearing is caring
By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer
Back in May, Reenie Rea sat in a stylist's chair and fearfully reminded herself that the 14 inches of hair being chopped off the back of her head was for a good cause.
Rebecca Breyer • Honolulu Advertiser
"It's a hard thing to part with, your hair, especially if you're a girl," Rea said.
Chanel Long, 7, of Waipahu, was among those who had their hair cut at Salon Bobbi N' Guy in the Ward Warehouse yesterday for the Locks of Love charity. The nonprofit organization makes hairpieces for financially disadvantaged children with long-term medical hair loss.
Chanel Long watches as Bobby Choi works on her twin, Chloe.
Tiaré Haines and her mother, Kukui Borges, examine the girl's contribution, shorn by hairstylist Becky Phan.
At Ward Warehouse Sunday, Rea, the reigning Mrs. Hawai'i United States, sat in front of Salon Bobbi N' Guy urging passers-by to give at least 10 inches of their hair to benefit the Locks of Love group.
Locks of Love is a nonprofit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. There are several auto-immune diseases in children that cause hair follicles to shut down, and kids afflicted with cancer often undergo chemo-therapy, resulting in hair loss.
The agency uses donated hair to create high-quality hair prosthetics. The hair is molded to meet the specific head size of the recipient. The hairpiece is so durable, the child can swim and play sports without worrying about losing it.
Locks of Love asks people to donate hair that has not been color treated.
"It's something we can actually do and actually give," said Alex Choi, a salon spokesman. "We'll do this every year."
Inside the salon Sunday, several women sat in chairs, quietly watching their reflections in the mirror as the stylists lopped off at least 10 inches of hair. Then they waited, each with varying lengths of hair, as the stylists worked to polish each woman's new look.
"It's kind of scary, but it feels good, too," said Justine Perkins, 22, a Pacific Palisades resident who donated just over 10 inches of her hair. "It used to be down to my waist, now it's here," she said holding her hand just above her left shoulder.
Berdina Kubo, 35, a Waipahu resident, donated 10 inches of her hair. She said she feels it is for a good cause.
"It's still a little long," she said, reaching out to touch her tips, now just below her neck.
A small group of husbands, boyfriends and children milled about the waiting area, stopping to chuckle and smile as the women gave up their tresses.
Vera Arita, 42, a Mililani resident, grew her hair out for an entire year just so she could donate the necessary length.
"I had my husband trim my bangs," Arita said, smiling at her new look. "It was worth it; I saved money from not going to the barbers."
Yesterday Rea had gathered more than 60 locks of hair, including 14 inches from photographer Kim Taylor Reece's wife, Kanoe.
Rea said it takes between 6 to 12 locks of hair to make one wig. She said Hawai'i is the perfect place to collect hair because a lot of local women grow it long. However, Rea said 80 percent of the people who give are children.
Chloe and Chanel Long, 7-year-old twins from Waipahu, each gave more than a foot.
"For the kids," Chanel said, grinning broadly.
Faye Long, the twins' mother, said: "They wanted to help children. I told them it was for a good cause, for children who couldn't grow hair."
Even though almost all the people donating hair yesterday were women or children it did not deter 35-year-old Kevin Isa, a Honolulu resident.
Isa, clad in a tank-top and shades, and sporting a healthy head of hair, stood ready to give a whole foot. "I'm glad to have it off," he said. "Might as well do something with it."
Reach Peter Boylan at 535-8110 or pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Correction: A previous version of this story gave the wrong day of the hair-donation event at the salon.
