How I Kept My Hair Healthy

I kept my hair healthy and shiny by shampooing and conditioning it every other day.

I combed out the tangles and used good hair accessories that wouldn't hurt my hair. (If a comb has missing teeth or causes knots in your hair, your hair will have more split ends.)

I made sure that I didn't use hair stuff—like spray-in hair lightner, lots of hair spray or gels—even though my friends were using them.

I had someone trim my hair to keep the dead ends from splitting. I also would wear a ponytail at night to stimulate the hair to grow faster and use a strong building conditioner.

I ate healthy food and made sure I got the right vitamins and minerals. I didn't like eating a lot of vegetables but I faithfully took my vitamins.

My mom also gave me a vegetable supplement to keep my hair and my whole body healthy.

Growing Pains

I used to cry sometimes because my hair was so long and thick that it would get tangled up. My mother would have to help me use a wide tooth comb to separate the tangles.

Sometimes, when I would get frustrated with my hair, my mother would ask me if I wanted to cut it and wait till I was older to grow it out for Locks of Love.

But I never quit. I didn't want to be selfish or a crybaby over my hair when other people were hurting in worse ways.

Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts encourage people and each other to help out in the community. They do this by working with the Salvation Army, helping at homeless shelters and doing other projects throughout their neighborhood.

The Girl Scout Promise motivates Girl Scouts to help other people than themselves.

The Girl Scout Promise: "On my honor I will try to serve God and my country and to help people at all times and to live by the Girl Scout Law."

My Best Memory

Mr. Johnny Thomas is a parishioner from our church who is blind. He would always talk to me and I knew he couldn't see, so I would let him touch the top of my head and pat my hair. He recognized me by my voice and by my long hair.

Mr. Thomas was married to Ms. Yvonne, who had cancer. Even though they tried lots of different treatments they could not do anything and she went to heaven.

When Ms. Yvonne died she had lost all of her hair. When they had the funeral, Ms. Yvonne was laid to rest without a wig or anything. I think that was her way of telling people how cancer affects us, and that we need to continue looking for a cure.

The Sunday after the Walk-a-Thon and my big hair cut, Mr. Thomas came up to me outside church to ask how I was doing. He touched my head and asked what had happened to all my hair. I told him that I had donated it for Locks of Love. He grabbed me in a big bear hug and just cried.

Other People Who Donate

Two other people I've met are teachers.

One is Ms. Jane Stevens. She is a special education teacher at Garfield High School in Virginia. She wore her hair long for 36 years.

Ms. Jane told me that another science teacher grew out his hair and donated it. She thought that maybe the Locks of Love people could use hair like hers since she was older with thick blonde hair.

She told me that because her hair was so long, she had to be creative by putting it hair up in a clip or pony tail. When she donated her hair, the beautician styled it really cute and short.

Another teacher, Ms. Debbie Crawford, has gray hair. She grew her hair out because she said that there might be someone older who had lost their hair and wanted a wig that looked like their own hair. When she donated her pony tail, it was over 11 inches long.

I Will Do it Again

Two more years and I'll be doing this again!Close

I told you about Mr. Thomas and his wife in "My Best Memory."

After Ms. Yvonne's funeral, my family decided to make a donation in her name to the American Cancer Society. When I told Mr. Thomas, he was touched and even wished me God's blessings.

I felt sad he lost his wife but I felt good about giving my hair up.

I decided right then and there to start growing my hair again. It only took me two years the first time so why not give another two years! I don't have a lot of money to donate but I do have long, thick healthy hair and I can easily give that up for someone else.

by Micayla Chapman, age 8 at the time of writing this story, former Googolplex youth editorial board member