January 11, 2007

Almaden sisters donate braids to Locks of Love

Almaden sisters Mackenzie, 12 and Shannyn Burt, 19, decided to start the year off right with a donation of their long blonde and brunette locks to help young cancer patients.

Mackenzie and Shannyn Burt

During the holidays, Mackenzie cut 10 inches of her blonde hair, the minimum length required for donation, after years of conjuring up the courage to cut more than the 1 inch she usually can handle.

It wasn’t an easy decision for her. Hair stylist Renee Mercer explained to Mackenzie the models on television’s “America’s Next Top Model” even have difficulty with major haircuts and often cry when Tyra Banks recommends their hair be cut as part of their makeovers. Mackenzie could relate to that and it helped her get through the experience, according to her mom Joan.

Another woman in the salon that day, who was in her 70s, mentioned that she still had her red braid buried in a hope chest since childhood. “That clinched it for me; it seemed silly to hold on to something that long hidden in storage for no apparent purpose,” said Joan.

When the hair donation form was retrieved, rules for “Locks of Love” indicated hair cut years ago is usable if it has been stored in a ponytail or braid. Shannyn cut her hair seven years ago when she was 12 by the same stylist. Fortunately, it measured 14 inches and so it was unanimous—both sisters decided it was time to help others less fortunate benefit from their healthy locks.

“It feels good to help make someone else's life a little brighter,” says Shannyn.

Locks of Love is a public no-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. To find out more about Locks of Love visit www.locksoflove.org.