My Hair Donation Journey: Twenty Years of Letting Go

Captain's Log

Voyage Dates: May 1 - 2, 2026

Route: Great Clips → Logodentity Studio → Post Office

This weekend reminded me that sometimes growth looks a lot like letting go.

A Sign It Was Time

It wasn't a bad day. The weather was warm, traffic was light, and I even had time to stop by the car wash and grab a Starbucks after dropping my First Mate off at homeschool group. But every time I turned the steering wheel, my hair caught in the crook of my arm.

After the third or fourth time, I stopped fighting it and accepted the obvious.

It was time for a haircut.

Eight to Ten Inches Later

The hairstylist measured my hair to show me how short it would be. Normally, I'd let it grow another three or four inches before cutting it because I prefer when it falls below my shoulders.

This time, though, I decided to switch things up for summer.

Putting the rubber bands in so the hair would stay together and not tangle afterward took longer than the actual cut. Once everything was secured, it was finally time for the scissors.

Because my hair had so many layers, we ended up cutting about 8 inches from the shorter sections and 10 inches from the longer ones.

I was a little nervous about going above my shoulders, but mostly I was excited.

Every time I make one of these big cuts, I feel the weight fall away. The maintenance gets easier, my head feels lighter, and I know the final result will be worth it.

About an hour later, when I saw the finished cut, I loved it. Even better, I was excited to take my bag of hair to the post office and send it off.

My Hair Donation Journey

Growing up, I'd often hear how beautiful my hair color was, that I shouldn't cut it, never color it... the advice persistent. So I took very good care of my hair and only got the ends trimmed. Then one day, while visiting the hospital, I learned there were children who had lost their hair due to medical conditions and treatments. I also learned that I could donate mine.

I first donated my hair when I was around eight or nine years old.

For years, I donated through a well-known organization and always felt good about being able to help. But as I got older, I started paying more attention to where donated hair went and how different organizations operated.

I wanted to make sure my donation was going somewhere that aligned with my values. Most importantly, I wanted to know that the hair would be used to help children who needed it.

After doing some research, I discovered Children With Hair Loss (CWHL), and it felt like a better fit for me.

Why I Chose Children With Hair Loss

Children With Hair Loss is a nonprofit organization that provides customized human hair replacements and care kits to children and young adults experiencing medically related hair loss at no cost to their families.

What stood out to me was their commitment to making sure families never have to pay for the help they receive. Whether a child is experiencing hair loss due to cancer treatment, alopecia, burns, or another medical condition, the goal remains the same: helping them feel more like themselves during a difficult season of life.

Knowing my donation can play a small part in that process makes every haircut feel a little more meaningful.

If you'd like to learn more about their mission, donate hair yourself, or support their work financially, you can visit Children With Hair Loss.

Looking Back Through the Years

While putting this post together, I went digging through old photos and found some shots of three previous donations. Looking at them side-by-side was a reminder of how much life can happen between haircuts.

Looking back, this hair donation journey has followed me through different homes, different seasons, and different chapters of life.

Spring 2016 📍 Donated from Unionville, Virginia

Spring 2018 📍 Donated from Palm Coast, Florida

Winter 2020 📍 Donated from Spotsylvania, Virginia

Spring 2026 📍 Donated from Locust Grove, Virginia

Until the next cut...

Every donation starts for the same reason.

My hair gets too long.

It gets caught in everything.

It takes forever to dry.

And eventually I decide it's time.

But looking back through these photos reminded me that each haircut marks more than a change in hairstyle.

They're little snapshots of different chapters of life.

This year's chapter looks a little different than the last one, and I'm sure the next one will too.

For now, though, I'm enjoying the lighter haircut, the start of summer, and knowing that this donation is already on its way to someone who needs it more than I do.