Thirteen inches will go a long way for kids cancer. Mia Moulder, 9, donated some 13" of her chopped locks to Wigs for Kids on June 5, at the hands of stylist/owner Ashley Patten of Sunset Styling Co.
With the help of friends and family, the Grade 4 Holy Spirit School student raised $1,405 for the Hooper family of Airdrie and donating her ponytail to Wigs for Kids – the charity that "helps kids look themselves and live their lives," providing wigs for children with hair loss resulting from cancer, chemotherapy/radiation, alopecia, trichotillomania, burns and other medical reasons.
"This year, Mia and I heard of a young lady who is going through a lot," explained her mom, Lacy, through their online fundraising platform. "... Mia is hoping to raise some funds to help support this family while also helping another family through the donation of her hair."
Through Holy Spirit teacher and friend Mandy Warren, Lacy learned of Evelyn ("Evie") Hooper's plight with cancer. At only three weeks of age, Evie was diagnosed with Bilateral Retinoblastoma, known as "cancer of the eyes." She lost her right eye and was declared a cancer survivor by age seven.
Late last summer, Evie began to feel unwell. Doctors confirmed cancer had returned as Olfactory Neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that affects the sinuses and rarely occurs in children.
Evie is currently with her family receiving proton radiation therapy in Florida, a less invasive type of radiation not available in Canada. Her mother, Veronica, is an assistant principal at Elizabeth Barrett Elementary School in Cochrane.
Mia was growing out her hair to donate to Wigs for Kids and pleased to learn that there was an opportunity to support a specific family at the same time.
"Above all else, this is a parent's worst nightmare come true," said Lacy. "We are trying to teach our children that if we can make someone else's load just a little bit easier to carry then that is what we are called to do."
Warren's three daughters, Breanna, Kaitlyn and Emily, jumped on the fundraising bandwagon and were happy to help Mia's hair cutting crusade by cashing in bottles to add some $350 to the cause.
"I always heard about cancer on the TV and when I heard that she (Evie) had lost her eye I thought that must be even worse," said Breanna, who said she was happy to help out.
Visit wigsforkids.ca to learn more.
