Helping Others by Going to the Salon
By Jonathan Howle, Director of Alumni Relations
One of Plaza College’s most respected alumni and current BBA students has proven that even a trip to the salon can be an act of good will and humanity.
Rebecca Green, a graduate of the Medical Assisting program, is now earning her BBA in Patient Care Management. Last summer, Ms. Green decided to donate her hair to Locks of Love, a public not-for-profit organization that provides hairpieces for children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. A common diagnosis among the children is cancer.
“Could you imagine what these kids are going through? Being so young with medical problems and then losing their hair. Their self-esteem and confidence are bound to be greatly affected,” Ms. Green said.
Various salons throughout New York City participate in Locks of Love. At first, Ms. Green admits she was a bit apprehensive.
“I always wanted to donate my hair, but I was scared of how I would look with short hair because all my life my hair was very long. But I woke up one morning and said to myself, ‘this is the morning I’m going to do it,’” Ms. Green explains. She then found a salon near where she lives and had ten inches cut off her hair.
Rebecca Green at the 2009 Graduate Recognition Ceremony, with long hair.
Once the hair is donated, it is then constructed into a hairpiece that will be suited to each child’s head. According to the website for Locks of Love (www.locksoflove.org), these hairpieces can normally cost families between $3,500 and $6,000. For a family confronted with astronomical medical bills, this can be an impossible additional expense. However, as the organization stresses on their website, “It can help restore some of the normalcy to their everyday lives that most of us take for granted.”
Even though Ms. Green admits she missed her hair initially, her passion for the cause was far more profound. Anyone interested in making a donation should visit the website for more information. Also, check online to find a salon near you that takes part in Locks of Love.
“I encourage anyone who has long hair to help a child by donating their hair. When I did it, I was speechless. No words could possibly define what I was feeling,” Ms. Green said.