Small Town News

Hair today...gone tomorrow: Wigging out for a good cause

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Relay 2011 set for June 17 in Milford

Karen O'Brien has been active in Milford's Relay for Life, benefiting the American Cancer Society, for many years. Two years ago, she was co-chair of the event, and has always wanted to do more to benefit this worthy cause, so she decided her next donation would be to give part of her - her hair.

O'Brien is blessed with thick, healthy, lovely hair. While some are thrown off completely by a bad hair day, those suffering with cancer are often further compromised by a no-hair life.

Chemotherapy treatments are required to provide cancer patients with life-saving medicine; however, the side effects can be quite remarkable, with hair loss being among the most frequent and most noticeable.

"I had friends do it before, and I have good hair, so I thought, why not?" O'Brien said. "It's just one more thing I can do to help in the fight against cancer."

There are a number of programs that accept hair donations to make wigs for those who need them. O'Brien did some research to find the one that best identified with what she wanted to accomplish.

While the most popular hair donation entity requires more then 10 inches of hair, O'Brien found Beautiful Lengths, sponsored by the popular hair care company Pantene, which requires only eight inches. This gave her means to accomplishing her goal more quickly.

O'Brien's original plan was to have her hair cut at Milford Relay for Life June 17; however, as April rolled around, the weather started getting warmer and her hair was getting heavier.

Having spent the last two years growing these locks, she thought the April Relay for Life meeting marked the time to let them go.

Though she had chosen Beautiful Lengths for the fact that it accepts shorter lengths in donations, when her hair was cut, O'Brien had six ponytails that were 10-and-a-half inches long each to donate to the cause.

Kathy Vasey, co-owner of The Hair Cottage, Milford, who is O'Brien's regular stylist, supported her in the donation by coming to the meeting and cutting her hair, then taking her back to the salon and giving her a flattering, short, summer do. Vasey also encouraged another customer to donate and O'Brien had a seventh ponytail to send along with hers.

To see O'Brien's new look and help her and more than 300 other Relay for Life participants battle to find a cure for cancer, come out to the Milford Middle School Friday, June 17. This year's relay will take participants "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." Relay teams will be serving up food and activities that make this 13th annual relay a family friendly event.

Relay 2011 is set to begin at 4:30 ' p.m. with survivors' registration, followed by the Survivors' Reception at 5 p.m. All survivors are invited to attend this kick off event and can register online or by calling 302-422-4026 or 422-5339.

Opening ceremonies will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the first lap at 7 p.m. Children will have their own special lap at 8 p.m., and the activities and excitement will continue throughout the night, with each team having at least one member on the track at all times.

The most breathtaking portion of the event is the Luminaria Ceremony at 9 p.m., where survivors and those who have lost the battle with cancer are recognized with luminaries that surround the middle school track

For more information, go online to relayforlife.org/milfordde.





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