Long hair, DO care - my charity hair donation | Lifestyle

Her hair is so big, it's full of secrets...

I'm turning the world of beauty blogging on it's head. Forget all those posts dedicated to primping and priming your lovely long locks or all those hair-spiration photos overflowing Instagram. Next week, on 21st February 2015, I am donating my hair to charity. I am taking the scissors to my long mermaid-y hair and giving it the big chop. The days of twirling my hair with my finger tips and having hair so long it can be tucked into my trousers will be long gone. If you would like to donate then please pop over to my Just Giving page (by clicking here). This post will just give a little insight into my current thoughts and reasoning behind the big chop.

I am donating at least 10 inches (22cm) of my hair to The Little Princess Trust. They are a UK based charity that provide real hair wigs, free of charge, to boys and girls that have lost their hair due to cancer treatment. The Little Princess Trust asks for a minimum of 7 inches of hair but I plan to donate as much of my long locks as I possibly can!

As a 21 year old girl,with a love for fashion and beauty, I take pride in my naturally long hair. It's become part of my identity. When trying to describe me to a stranger friends will refer to my long hair. Whilst I am not defined by my hair, it certainly does add to my character. There's also no denying that my long hair increases my self-esteem. It makes me feel confident when I look in the mirror and see my long blonde hair tumbling down my spine towards my waist. It may not define my personality, but it defines my appearance. Whenever I catch glimpse of my long hair, run my fingers through the length or when my little cousin plays with my hair with absolute joy, I smile. My hair brings me a certain degree of happiness.

And because of that, I am absolutely terrified to be cutting my hair off. I simply cannot imagine how it much feel to lose your hair involuntarily, through treatment for a life-threatening condition. For some people, hair loss can be the most distressing side effect of their cancer treatment. Losing their hair can make them feel so vulnerable and exposed. It can have a strongly negative effect on their self-esteem. And not only do they have to deal with their own emotions in response to hair loss, but they have to deal with the constant looks and questions from other people.

I've only scratched the surface of the emotional turmoil that an individual who has experienced hair loss due to cancer treatment will go through. Obviously, everyone's experience will differ and some may feel more emotionally distressed about their hair loss than others. For some children, hair loss can be particularly traumatic.

Having the opportunity to wear a real-hair wig can help them to regain some of their confidence. It means they don't have to worry about what other people will think and they don't have to shy away and avoid being in public. A real hair wig can mean the difference between staying at home alone and playing with their friends. It can help them to approach they daily life with a new found confidence. It can help put a smile back on their face.

Donating your hair may sound like a small gesture. In the reality of things, it is. My hair will grow back. I really needn't worry about having all of my hair cut off. After all, I'm lucky enough to be able to decide whether I want to keep my hair long or chop it all off. But for a child who has experienced hair loss through cancer treatment, my hair can mean a lot. The small gesture of donating my hair can really help them during a painful and emotional time during their treatment.

I may not be donating thousands of pounds towards the cure for cancer, but I am donating my hair and money towards helping an individual to cope with the realities of their own experience with cancer. And it's for that reason that I am donating my hair. To know that an act as small as cutting off my hair and raising £350 can bring a smile to the face of a little girl or boy with cancer.

Next Saturday, 21/02/2015, will be an emotional day for me. I'm probably going to be overwhelmed by a cocktail of emotions ranging from fear to excitement to pride. I'll admit that I'll probably also cry when my hairdresser makes the grand snip and I leave the building carrying my hair in my bag. But nothing will compare to the feelings of pride that I will feel when I post that envelope full of hair knowing that it will be going to help a child somewhere in the UK. Furthermore, the cocktail of emotions that I may feel in that one day, is nothing in comparison to the emotional rollercoaster that a child with cancer experiences on a daily basis.

If you'd like to find out more about my journey, or even if you'd like to donate then please visit my Just Giving Page. I would be eternally grateful for any donations that I receive, no matter how small they may be. And even if you don't donate, please share this post or my page. Help me to spread the word of the amazing Little Princess Trust charity and my journey of hair donation to helping children with cancer.

Thank you a thousand times and more,