The Wacky Witmer's: It's JUST hair, right?

A few years back I had a student that made a huge impact on my life. One day at lunch she told me how bad her head was hurting and I told her to be sure she told mom and dad and that she might need her eyes checked...just a short time later, she was diagnosed with a form of brain cancer. I watched this tough and sweet girl fight this cancer, lose her hair, become tiny and frail (she wasn't big to begin with)...and she never gave up. The community surrounded her with fundraisers, t-shirts, bracelets, pins and more. I remember when she came back to school that I was worried how kids would react to her with no hair and looking frail. Some days she chose to wear a wig and other days a bandana type skull cap over her head. I remember telling her it was "just hair"...it'll grow back. Fast forward about 4 1/2 years (I think). My life had been turned upside down with a huge job adjustment and an emotional roller coaster that came with leaving my "home" of my previous school. I was looking for something to do for myself and thought about a new hair style. I had NO idea what I wanted to do with it and had spent so long growing it out, I hated to cut layers. The thought of Locks of Love crossed my mind, but I wasn't sure I could take cutting ALL of my hair off. Here I am on the first day of this school year...

One weekend I was scrolling on facebook and found a picture of a former student's mom who had just donated her hair and she looked simply SMASHING! Her hair was adorable and her face was glowing...I commented that I loved it and had thought of doing the same thing but was scared to cut it after growing it so long. She told me that it was JUST hair and that it would grow back...I was taken right back to my encouragement of my student with the brain tumor... I knew I was supposed to do it. I called and set up the appointment before I had a chance to change my mind. I wasn't nervous at all the day of. I was so excited to do it but didn't tell many people, wanting it to be a surprise (maybe in case I chickened out!) Kiara came with me for moral support and to take some pictures.
Here we are before getting out of the car. She had to kiss my hair and tell it good-bye.

My hairdresser asked me several times if I was sure and without a doubt, I knew I was ready. I was smiling and couldn't wait for that ponytail snip...We were trying to decide if I should do 10 inches or 8 inches and I reminded myself that it was JUST hair and so go for 10 inches...here it is all ready to cut off!

And here it is...10 inches that will make a wig for a child somewhere so that they don't have to feel self-conscious about whatever illness they have that has made them lose their hair. BIG SMILES!!!

And the final product. I always said I would never do an angled hair style, but as she made the snip, I looked in the mirror and thought it was too cute so I would give it a try. My look has been nicknamed "The Sassy Mama" look. I love it. It has taken some getting used to, but it feels fun, different and just what I needed to do.

I made a poster page for each of my schools showing the before/during/after pictures and telling that I sent the hair to Locks of Love. As I was explaining to the kids about why I cut my hair and that a child somewhere would wear a wig made of my hair, one little girl said it so sweetly...She raised her hand and very excitedly said, "Mrs. Witmer, it's like you are going to be a part of that little kid and really make them feel good". Yes, part of me did it for me as I just needed to shake things up a bit, but part of me remembered that sweet girl a few years back who refused to give up and just wanted to be normal like the rest of the kids. She made such an impact on me and I pray that my hair can have an impact on someone else that I will never know about. Thank you to my student K.R. for inspiring me and reminding me years later (without even knowing) that it is JUST hair and it will grow back!