Kindergartener donates first haircut to charity

Editor’s note: This is another in a series of stories leading up to the Suffolk Rockin’ Relay for Life, to be held May 13-14.

Kindergartener Sara Brooks got her first haircut on Thursday, and it was a big one.

Sara wanted to get her hair cut for Locks of Love, an organization that provides free or low-cost hairpieces to children with long-term medical hair loss, after learning about cancer in school at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy.

“It’s touched everybody’s lives,” said Susan Powell, Sara’s teacher at NSA. “We don’t have a huge lesson on cancer, but we talk about being able to give back and help other people.”

The school has been heavily involved in Relay for Life, with most classes and student groups doing fundraisers. The kindergarten classes held an art show, where the students created their own artwork and assigned a price to it. Parents attended and were encouraged to buy their children’s own work.

“We tell the boys and girls that we want to give back to the community and this is one way of doing it,” Powell said.

However, Sara apparently wanted to take her community service one step further. When a friend also cut her hair for Locks of Love, Sara got the idea.

“That’s when she first told me she wanted to do it,” said Tracy Brooks, Sara’s mother. “She’s excited.”

Locks of Love is a charity that provides hairpieces from donated human hair to children suffering from long-term hair loss. Most Locks of Love recipients have a disease called alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes the hair follicles to shut down.

However, cancer is the second most common disease that affects Locks of Love recipients. A long course of chemotherapy can qualify as long-term hair loss, and sometimes radiation treatments for certain kinds of cancers can cause permanent hair loss.

After school on Thursday, Sara and her mom arrived at Array 700 salon on West Washington Street for the big event. Sara winced in pain as stylist Tabitha Dulaney brushed her long, curly hair.

Pain turned to trepidation as Dulaney wielded a pair of scissors on Sara’s hair. Finally, trepidation turned to shock as Dulaney held up the ponytail for Sara to see.

“I just love that long, curly hair,” Tracy Brooks said. “I hope it gets curly again.”

The Brooks family has been touched by cancer, as well. Sara’s grandfather died of the disease in 2009.

“I’m just tickled that Sara has taken this to another level,” Powell said. “That was real big of her. What an inspiration she could be for so many.”

Sara seemed pleased with her new haircut, and even noted an additional benefit.

“Now it won’t hurt when Mommy brushes it anymore,” she said.

Tracy Brooks was surprised at how short her daughter’s hair is now.

“When they go back [after Easter break], everybody’s going to think they got a new student in class,” she said.

You can help fight cancer by getting involved in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, to be held May 13-14 at Bennett’s Creek Park. For more information, visit www.suffolkrockinrelay.org.