Summer starts short for student

Special To The Citizen

Marlene Makowski has worn her hair long all her life, just as her daddy likes it. But this year, for Father’s Day, Marlene warned her dad that she was going to do something special to honor him.

But It took her a few weeks to convince her mother that she was serious about donating her hair to Locks of Love.

So, Marlene snuck off to Spa Perfect with her mom and convinced Tasha DeLaCruz, owner, that she was okay giving up those long blonde locks.

While Mom stepped into the back to make a cup of coffee, Marlene had Tasha cut off two ponytails over 13 inches long.

Marlene is okay with her new short look but is already speculating on how long it will take to grow enough to cut and donate again.

“I wanted to donate my hair for a while but, every time I thought about the scissors, I chickened out. Finally, I decided to just be brave do it no matter if I looked funny because kids with cancer have no choice about how they look. I am really glad I did because I know it will make someone else very happy,”Marlene said.

What is Locks of Love?

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the U.S. and Canada under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. They meet a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics.

Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses they provide help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers.