Everyday I Go Out of My Way to Make Sure My Hair Looks Messed Up

“I will NOT where a wig.”  My adamant voice informed my father on the night I was diagnosed with a brain tumor.   My loving sisters even offered to shave their heads in solidarity with me.  Turns out I only had to shave half of my head, and did not need to receive chemo. 

A few years later while walking alone on the campus of Truman State University, I realized the privilege that I had.  I was so lucky to have had a benign tumor, to live in a place with a world class neurosurgeon nearby, and to have insurance to cover the surgery required.  The privilege did not stop there, I was continuing my education at a University, drove a car I had bought with money I had earned, and could cut my hair any time anyway that I wanted.

That night, I brought myself to tears with my own thoughts.  First, I was overwhelmed with the feeling of humility at how I had been granted a miracle, and how I had been in the less than 10%, the people who survived the risky surgery and made a complete recovery. Second, I knew that there were children who didn’t have my privilege, children facing chemo with no insurance, no access to doctors, and no hair.  I decided that at least once in my life, I would grow my hair out so long that I could donate it to a child who has none. 

 Donating my hair was a piece of my entire life goal.  I want to be remembered as a caring Christian, someone who left all of her gifts on the table to help those in need.  Growing my hair to an acceptable donating length was a process that started in October 2012.  That was the month that I was told I could not finish OT school.  The end of 2012 was a dark time in my life, I had my family but beyond them, I had very little in my future.  In March of 2013, I interviewed to be a US-2 missionary.  Today I am a US-2 missionary, I have a potential future in seminary and ordination, I have so much privilege still, and I plan to use my privilege to help those who don’t have privilege, and need some help. 

It is so important for me to remember that even when I had nothing in my life, I still had something, something of value that I could give to someone else.  This week it was my hair, and I will always look for ways to help people.