September 22, 2005

‘Dude’ still looks like a lady

Sophie ‘Dude’ Deen, 8, donates hair to Locks of Love

Sophie Deen is an energetic, competitive soccer player. Sounds like a typical 8-year-old Almaden Valley kid, except this little tomboy goes by the nickname “Dude” and has been growing her hair long just to donate to charity.

Dude got the idea after her friend’s mom donated last year. “Mom, can I do that too?” she asked Shella Deen. “Sure,” her mom replied.

The nonprofit Locks of Love organization provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children who have medical conditions, such as cancer, that cause long-term medical hair loss by using donated hair to create high-quality hair prosthetics that restore self esteem and confidence.

Sophie loves soccer so much that she would sleep in her uniform if her mom let her. “She is quite a character,” said her mom. “This summer Dude and her older brother (who is 11) flew alone to London and Africa. While she was visiting my parents in London someone even offered her money to not cut her hair and she refused.”

In the photos above and below, you can see Dude in her competitive soccer picture with her long flowing locks and a week later minus 14 inches of hair, which were proudly donated to the Locks of Love organization.

Find out more about the Locks of Love organization by visiting www.locksoflove.org.