Emma Konieczny may only be 10 years old, but right now, she’s my hero.
On Thursday afternoon, the Hadley Elementary school fourth-grader walked into school with a new haircut.
Even though it looks pretty good, Emma didn’t give up her once mid-back length hair for style or for a more comfortable summer do.
She did it in her words “for the kids with cancer.”
Emma donated her hair to “Locks of Love” a charity that provides wigs made of real hair to children, who have lost theirs due a long-term illness — mostly cancer and alopecia areata — and can’t afford to buy a wigs themself.
Wigs, especially those made with real hair aren’t cheap. They start around $72 accord-ing to wigs.com and for a family that has likely spent a fortune on medicine and other health care expenses, hair may be an unaffordable luxury many people can’t afford.
Since 1997, Locks of Love has been collecting ponytails of hair (at least 10 inches) and turning them into wigs, helping kids that are already selfconscious because they’re sick, feel a little more normal.
My own head-shaving stems from an attempt to find solidarity with a friend battling though chemotherapy. I’ve kept the look, cause I like it. But on tough days it still reminds me that nothing in my life is as difficult as what cancer patients are fighting.
People worry about today’s kids saying: They play too many video games, they watch too many violent TV shows and movies. They’re too mean to one another.
Not in Hadley. Some kid, who will likely never meet Emma Konieczny is feeling a little better because of her selflessness.
I'm feeling better just witnessing it.
(If you have some spare hair and want to donate it --
www.locksoflove.com)
