The Lacombe Composite High School Cosmetology program is hosting Hair Massacure in order to help kids living with pediatric cancer.
The event, which is open to the public on May 2nd from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m., invites students and community members to shave their heads, pink their hair, or make a donation of hair or funds in order to support kids with cancer.
The Lacombe event is based on a larger movement out of Edmonton where the family of cancer survivor Kali MacDonald wanted to offer their support.
“They got together with people they worked with at the post office and decided to pink their hair and/or shave their heads because the little girl had to get her head shaved,” LCHS Cosmetology teacher Darcie Zenchuk said. “They wanted to support her and make her feel like she wasn’t alone.
“Every year now, they hold Hair Massacure at West Edmonton Mall and it has grown bigger and bigger.”
LCHS Cosmetology students, despite the Edmonton event being back in February, still wanted to support the cause, which raises funds for the Make a Wish Foundation, the Edmonton Stollery Childrens Hospital, supplying kids with cancer with wigs and also going towards research into pediatric cancers.
“The kids really get into it here at the school,” Zenchuk said. “We did one two years ago. We started out with six people shaving their heads and we ended up having 38. We ended up being able to supply enough hair for 17 wigs for kids.
“I am hoping to beat that — we are wanting to double that.”
Zenchuk is confident they can reach their goal due to the inclusion of the general public to this year’s event.
“We are really inviting the public to come help us with this work. It is a fundraiser, but we also want people to get to know us at LCHS,” she said.
Zenchuk said her students this year were motivated to do the event this year after realizing that nearly all of them were affected by cancer in some way.
“They didn’t realize they could help do something about it,” Zenchuk said. “They said we have to do this — we have to help children.
“We want to make kids feel good about themselves during a difficult time and we want to make sure they have what they need.”
Zenchuk said the event is also a way for the community to see that teenagers want to make a difference in their community.
“It is very important to us to show how much our students really do care. They are volunteering their time and efforts to do this fundraiser,” she said
She added, “I hope to see a whole bunch of people there. They are more than welcome to come. Hopefully they can come in and donate and if they want to get their head shaved or pinked thetas great.”
The event will be in the LCHS gym from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. A donation of $10 gets a head shave and $25 donation covers the cost of pinking.
todd.vaughan@lacombeexpress.com
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