THON 2013: Wigs for Kids

THON provides countless ways you can encourage a child with cancer, whether it be through dancing with them or squirting water guns at each other. Some students went all out and donated a piece of themselves to these children (literally), by donating their hair to Wigs for Kids. Volunteers from a number of local salons chopped the hair off of the students on stage at THON earlier today, fittingly accompanied by the blasting of Whip My Hair by Willow Smith.

All of the donors strutted onto the stage with huge smiles on their faces. When the stylists cut a long piece of hair and handed it to them, those smiles turned into somewhat shocked expressions. There were a couple of cringes, and a lot of laughs and hugs.

Junior Sydney Schumacher (above) decided she wanted to donate her hair when a little girl was playing with her pigtails at THON last year. No matter how long it took her to grow out, Schumacher says she won’t miss her hair “Hair will grow back,” Schumacher says, “It’s not a big deal for me, but it might be for the kids. It’s just another thing we can do that will make their lives a little brighter.”

Senior and dancer Annie Lohmeyer was inspired to donate by her THON child, friend and support system, Emma. Although a little nervous, Lohmeyer was excited about her decision. “Emma helped me stay calm, and I really needed it!” she says.

Lohmeyer and Emma backstage after the donation, before getting her hair a bit more styled at the THON Salon.

These students are proof that you don’t necessarily have to dance for 46 hours to make an impact in a child’s life.

Photos by Sam Florio.