Donating Hair For A Cause At East Meadow High School

EAST MEADOW, NY — A sea of pink filled East Meadow High School’s gymnasium on Oct. 22 as students and faculty members gathered to donate their hair to the nonprofit organization Children With Hair Loss. Organized by East Meadow High School senior Natalie Hernandez, each volunteer cut at least eight inches of their hair to support the organization.

The event served as Hernandez’s Girl Scout Gold Award project with Girl Scout Troop 1256. Hernandez said she had previously donated her hair through events at Woodland Middle School, which inspired her to host a similar event at the high school. Through this project, Hernandez said she hopes to educate others on hair loss.

“Whether it’s brought on by cancer or other medical conditions, hair loss comes with extreme emotional challenges to those affected,” Hernandez said. “The wigs that will be made from our hair will be life changing to the people receiving them and will allow them to regain their confidence after suffering from a difficult time, both physically and emotionally.”

Hernandez’s project adviser, Ms. Fitzpatrick, said she has numerous family members who were affected by cancer. Fitzpatrick first met Hernandez through her living environment class when she was a sophomore.

“I’m so happy to be a part of this amazing event to help people that might need donations of hair,” Fitzpatrick said.

In addition to Fitzpatrick, Hernandez thanked district leaders and school administrators from the high school and Woodland Middle School for inspiring her to pursue this project