Beautiful Lengths is a partnership program between Pantene and the American Cancer Society with a mission to donate real hair wigs to those who cannot afford them. To date, Pantene has donated 18,000 free real-hair wigs and they are the largest donor of real-hair wigs in the country through the American Cancer society.
“To us, it's hair but to women with cancer, it’s hope.”
Pantene began their Beautiful Lengths program back in July 2006 and since then over 272,113 ponytails have been collected, all from donators who desire to give an emotional boost to those going through cancer treatment.
Women look and feel better when they have a healthy head of hair and loss of one’s hair is one of the greatest difficulties experienced when going through cancer treatment.
A girl who donated said, “The moment you hear those scissors cut your hair you feel like you are really doing something good right now!”
--How do you donate your hair to Pantene?
To be made into a wig, your hair must be:
At least eight inches long (no maximum length)
- If you have wavy or curly hair, measure when straight
Free of permanent color, bleach or other chemical treatments such as Japanese straightening
- Vegetable dyes, semi-permanent dyes and rinses are acceptable, but “virgin” hair is preferred
No more than 5 percent gray
From: http://www.pantene.com/en-US/beautiful-lengths-refresh/Pages/donation-re...
Single donors can mail ponytails to Pantene or group donations events for those who want to arrange a larger memorable act can also be arranged through hair salons, schools and work places. Guidelines to hold such an event are on the main Pantene website at the end of this article.
--One school’s experience:
Londonderry High school has held an annual Pantene Beautiful Lengths donation every January since 2007, collecting nearly 1000 ponytails. Teacher Steve Juster, who calls the girls who donate “my angels” for their generous acts of charity, organizes the campaign.
Many of the girls donate their hair to honor someone close to them who has had cancer, others ask a cancer survivor to come be the one to cut their ponytail so that they can share in the act of giving and still other girls just want to bring some hope to someone who is battling this scary disease.
On the facebook Pantene video about the school event, one cancer survivor expressed, “Knowing people who are strangers are doing this for you, you feel more like I have other people behind me, who don’t even know me, who are rooting for me.”
Real hair wigs are expensive but are so important to support a cancer patient. If you know someone, male or female, who you think would like to participate in the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program, send him or her an email encouraging him or her to join in.
Sources:
Pantene: ABOUT BEAUTIFUL LENGTHS
http://www.pantene.com/en-US/beautiful-lengths-refresh/Pages/about-beaut...
Facebook page: Pantene North America Beautiful Lengths.
http://www.facebook.com/PanteneNA?sk=app_238472819524653
Michele is an R.N. freelance writer with a special interest in woman’s healthcare and quality of care issues. Other articles by Michele are at www.helium.com/users/487540/show_articles
Edited by Jody Smith