By Becca Yates
Staff Writer
This Sunday, Stephanie Kettner, an administrative assistant at the law school, will be cutting her near waist-long hair above her chin for the first time since elementary school.
Kettner will be joined in her endeavor by 19 other students and faculty who are all donating at least 10 inches of their hair to give to the Locks of Love organization, a non-profit group that makes and donates wigs to children suffering from debilitating illnesses that leave them bald.
Sophomores Megan Marotta and Tara Emmerson, who have been growing out their hair to donate to the organization, decided to organize a campus-wide week long event to benefit the Locks of Love organization. Joined by the American Humanics program as well as the Morgan and E. Pengilly resident halls, students have been recruiting possible hair donors as well as wearing wigs for sponsorship to fundraise money for the Locks of Love organization.
Marotta, who has been growing her long locks for more than four years, is amazed at the turnout and support the Pepperdine community has shown for the event, recounting the willingness of girls who barely have the minimum 10 inches to cut their hair to spike levels.
“I want to commend the students at Pepperdine for stepping up to this challenge,” Marotta said. “It’s easy to allow certain aspects like long hair to define you.”
Kettner understands the security and identification that many find in their long hair, but believes that the cause outweighs any fear of cutting her lifelong locks.
“I’m very attached to my hair so (cutting it) will be an experience,” Kettner said. “But if it looks terrible at least my hair will grow back. These kids’ hair won’t, which makes my nerves disappear.”
It’s this mentality that has driven others who do not have the minimum hair length to donate to take an active part in fundraising and recruiting.
Freshman Jenna BanWeelden is one such student who has been wearing a wig all week. While she can’t partake in this Sunday’s ceremonious cutting, she has experience with the organization. She grew her blonde hair out for two years in high school in order to donate 13 inches.
For BanWeelden, it was a small sacrifice.
“God’s blessed me so much with what I have,” BanWeelden said. “It’s so satisfying to know some girl is out there and is happy because of my hair.”
According to Susan Stone, the executive director of Locks of Love, the impact that these wigs have on the recipients is immense.
“When people go out of their way to give a part of themselves they are making a huge difference in a child’s life,” Stone said. “It’s something you can give to children that can help them reclaim their sense of identity and normalcy.”
Stone has found that in child cancer patients, the shame and embarrassment of losing their hair is more debilitating than the pain caused by treatment. In many cases Stone has seen children isolate themselves from their peers and avoid childhood activities like swimming and gymnastics, which many times leaves them severely depressed.
“I wish I could show you before and after pictures of what it does for the kids,” Stone said. “In some cases the wigs alone can be the difference between life and death.”
The wigs that will be made from the hair of faculty and students will help create wigs that will look and act like real hair. Retailed anywhere from $3,500 to $6,000, these vacuum wigs fit on the head like a swimming cap. Thus, the hair remains in place and allows its wearer to participate in events like swimming and other physical activities without having the wig move or fall off.
The only requirements needed to make these wigs are to have a minimum of 10 inches of non-damaged or bleached hair.
Those like Kettner who meet these requirements and have agreed to give up their hair will be joining many others this Sunday to chop off their luscious locks.
The actual hair-cutting task will be performed at the Salon at Malibu Creek by Michael Ahmati, who has volunteered to cut all 20 women’s hair for free.
Ahmati admits that he is a little overwhelmed at the thought of cutting 20 women’s hair in a day, but says the event is worth it.
“The cause is amazing,” Ahmati said. “It’s amazing what these girls are doing.”
He facetiously added that he’s driven by an ulterior motive.
“I want to be a hero,” he said.
March 13, 2003