Put Your Best Hair Forward

Put Your Best Hair Forward is sponsored by HAIR TO SHARE FOUNDATION. The HAIR TO SHARE FOUNDATION provides funds for new, fitted wigs for individuals (children and adults) in need in central New Jersey who have medically induced hair loss and lack the specific insurance coverage or financial resources to afford a custom wig.

[](https://blog. stbaldricks. org/donate-your-hair-in-5-easy-steps/#) [](https://blog.

stbaldricks. org/donate-your-hair-in-5-easy-steps/#) [](https://blog. stbaldricks.

org/donate-your-hair-in-5-easy-steps/#) Home5Events & Fundraisers5Head-Shaving5 Donate Your Hair in 5 Easy Steps # Donate Your Hair in 5 Easy Steps By St. Baldrick's Foundation ## How to Donate Your Hair in 5 Easy Steps Thinking about donating your hair? It’s a powerful way to show support and make a tangible difference in someone’s life.

While the St. Baldrick’s Foundation doesn’t directly collect hair, many of our incredible volunteers choose to cut and donate their hair while they raise money for childhood cancer research. You can be part of this amazing community, too.

Each year, thousands of people join St. Baldrick’s events. They shave their heads or trim their hair, turning a personal act into a powerful statement against childhood cancer.

By fundraising, they fuel critical research. By donating their ponytails, they give a priceless gift to children and adults experiencing hair loss. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know.

We’ll cover hair donation requirements, how to cut your hair for donation, and where to donate hair. Whether you’re joining a St. Baldrick’s event as a trimee or donating on your own, these steps will help you give with confidence.

Registering gives you a personal fundraising page and access to tools that make it easy to share your story and gather support. If you’ve already registered or are just looking for general guidance, keep reading. The next steps apply to everyone ready to make the cut.

#### Step 2: Understand Hair Donation Requirements Before you cut your hair, it’s important to choose an organization and understand its specific hair donation requirements. This ensures your generous gift can be used. There are many wonderful charities that create wigs for children with medical hair loss and adults with cancer.

Please note, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation does not take hair donations. While rules vary, here are some common guidelines to look for: * **Minimum Length:** Most organizations require a minimum length, typically between 8 and 14 inches.

* **Hair Treatment:** Some accept colored or chemically treated hair, while others require it to be completely natural. * **Hair Condition:** Hair must almost always be clean and completely dry before being sent. * **Preparation:** Most charities require hair to be secured in a ponytail or braid before cutting.

Take a moment to research and choose an organization that connects with your personal mission. This simple step ensures your donation makes the impact you intend. #### Step 3: Spread the word Let your friends, family, and community know you’re donating your hair.

If you’re participating in a St. Baldrick’s event, update your fundraising page to share that you’ll be making a hair donation. This act of generosity can inspire others to contribute to your fundraiser, honoring your donation with a gift to fund lifesaving research.

#### Step 4: How to Cut Your Hair for Donation The moment has arrived! Whether you’re at a St. Baldrick’s event, a local salon, or at home, preparing your hair correctly is key.

Follow these tips for a successful donation cut: 1. **Wash and Dry:** Start with clean, completely dry hair. Most organizations cannot accept wet hair because it can mold in transit.

2. **Secure Your Hair:** Divide your hair into multiple small ponytails or braids. This helps capture the maximum length and keeps the hair aligned.

3. **Make the Cut:** Ask the barber or stylist to cut about one inch _above_ the elastic band. This keeps the ponytail or braid intact.

4. **Store Properly:** Place the dry ponytails or braids into a sealed plastic bag to keep them clean and secure. Cutting your hair is a symbolic and emotional moment.

By preparing it properly, you ensure your gift is ready for its next chapter. #### Step 5: Mail Your Hair Donation With your hair cut and secured, the final step is to mail it. Carefully follow the instructions provided by your chosen organization.

Most charities will ask you to: * Place the sealed plastic bag containing your hair into a padded envelope. * Include any required donor forms or personal information. Some organizations have online forms to fill out beforehand.

* Mail the envelope to the specified address. Once you drop it in the mail, your hair begins its journey to becoming a beautiful wig and a source of comfort and confidence for someone in need. ## Where to Donate Hair for Cancer and Other Causes Looking for a place to send your hair?

Here are several respected organizations that accept hair donations. Be sure to visit their websites for the most current hair donation requirements. #### Children With Hair Loss This group provides free, custom hair replacements to children and young adults under 21 who have medically-related hair loss.

* **Requirements:** Minimum of 8 inches, though they prefer 12 inches or longer. They accept color-treated and gray hair. Creates custom wigs for children under 18 and adults facing medical hair loss, providing them free of charge if they meet financial guidelines.

* **Requirements:** Minimum of 12 inches. Hair cannot be bleached or color-treated. Gray hair is accepted.

#### BeYOUtiful Foundation For over 30 years, Wigs for Kids has been providing Hair Replacement Systems for children who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy, radiation, and other medical conditions. * **Requirements:** Minimum of 12 inches. Hair cannot be color-treated, bleached, or highlighted.

For over 30 years, Wigs for Kids has been providing Hair Replacement Systems for children who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy, radiation, and other medical conditions. * **Requirements:** Minimum of 12 inches. Hair cannot be color-treated, bleached, or highlighted.

A well-known public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss. * **Requirements:** Minimum of 10 inches. Color-treated or permed hair is acceptable.

This unique organization uses donated hair, fur, and fleece to create absorbent mats called “hairmats” that help clean up oil spills. * **Requirements:** Minimum of 3 inches. They accept all hair types, including dyed hair and shavings.

## Your Donation Changes Lives Donating your hair is an amazing act of generosity. When you pair it with fundraising for childhood cancer research, you multiply your impact. You not only provide a wig to someone who needs it, but you also help fund the science that will lead to better treatments and cures for kids with cancer.

Every dollar raised, every shave, and every trim brings us closer to a world without childhood cancer. Thank you for making a difference. **Are you looking for other ways you can help Conquer Kids’ Cancer?

**Get Involved in Other Ways hair donationshaveetrimee ### How to Grow Out Your Hair: 5 Tips From the Best in the Business St. Baldrick's Foundation ### Battle of the Bald: The Ultimate College Head-Shaving Tournament St. Baldrick's Foundation ### [Should I Shave My Head?

[QUIZ]](https://blog. stbaldricks. org/should-i-shave-my-head-infographic/) Erinn Jessop, St.

Baldrick's Foundation The latest from @stbaldricks St. Baldrick's Foundation 60 1 On International Bereaved Father’s Day, we honor the fathers who have experienced the unimaginable loss of a child. ✨ Colm, 2026 Ambassador Eoghan’s father, shares: “Although it is over three years since Eoghan passed, the grief is still with me every day.

I miss his sense of fun, his strong moral compass, and all of our times running together before he got sick. Those are memories I will forever treasure. While continuing on with those things now can sometimes feel a little hollow without him, it will always be a way for our family to remember our best times together.

I try to think of the grief as being the price for having loved Eoghan so deeply and to cherish the memory of the 16 years we had with him as opposed to getting sucked down the rabbit hole of why something so terrible could happen to someone as they stood on the precipice of adulthood and the loss of the life filled with potential that he was meant to live.

For many men, talking about many of these things can be really difficult - we are conditioned to be the “strong” ones. I continue to struggle with this but have come to recognize that every step forward, no matter how small, represents progress. Talking about Eoghan is cathartic for me and can hopefully go some way towards helping others in some small way.

The courage and resilience Eoghan demonstrated throughout his initial diagnosis and his entire battle with Ewing sarcoma filled me with immense pride during his treatment. Now the memory of it serves as an inspiration for me to try and honor his legacy. I do this by continuing to run for him and raise funds and awareness for pediatric cancer research in the process.

We owe it to the children of the world to do better and to provide more hope for the families caught up in the battle with this terrible disease. Honoring his battle gives me a purpose that helps to fill the massive Eoghan sized hole in our lives. ” Eoghan was 16 when he passed away from Ewing sarcoma.

💔 His story reminds us why we keep fighting for a future where no father has to lose a child to cancer. 🙏 To every bereaved father, we see you, we stand with you, and we won’t stop fighting in your child’s honor. ❤️ On International Bereaved Father’s Day, we honor the fathers who have experienced the unimaginable loss of a child.

✨ Colm, 2026 Ambassador Eoghan’s father, shares: “Although it is over three years since Eoghan passed, the grief is still with me every day. I miss his sense of fun, his strong moral compass, and all of our times running together before he got sick. Those are memories I will forever treasure.

While continuing on with those things now can sometimes feel a little hollow without him, it will always be a way for our family to remember our best times together.

I try to think of the grief as being the price for having loved Eoghan so deeply and to cherish the memory of the 16 years we had with him as opposed to getting sucked down the rabbit hole of why something so terrible could happen to someone as they stood on the precipice of adulthood and the loss of the life filled with potential that he was meant to live.

For many men, talking about many of these things can be really difficult - we are conditioned to be the “strong” ones. I continue to struggle with this but have come to recognize that every step forward, no matter how small, represents progress. Talking about Eoghan is cathartic for me and can hopefully go some way towards helping others in some small way.

The courage and resilience Eoghan demonstrated throughout his initial diagnosis and his entire battle with Ewing sarcoma filled me with immense pride during his treatment. Now the memory of it serves as an inspiration for me to try and honor his legacy. I do this by continuing to run for him and raise funds and awareness for pediatric cancer research in the process.

We owe it to the children of the world to do better and to provide more hope for the families caught up in the battle with this terrible disease. Honoring his battle gives me a purpose that helps to fill the massive Eoghan sized hole in our lives. ” Eoghan was 16 when he passed away from Ewing sarcoma.

💔 His story reminds us why we keep fighting for a future where no father has to lose a child to cancer. 🙏 To every bereaved father, we see you, we stand with you, and we won’t stop fighting in your child’s honor. ❤️ 27 Why do some infants with neuroblastoma respond to #cancer in ways older children don’t?

🤔 St. Baldrick’s researcher, Dr. Rowe, and colleagues are looking at infant T cells for answers. These immune cells are especially responsive and can resist the “exhaustion” that limits some current immunotherapies.

By understanding what makes these cells unique, researchers hope to create safer, more effective treatments for children with #neuroblastoma and other hard-to-treat cancers. 🙏 Research today can help more children survive and thrive. 👉 Donate at the link in bio to help make that research possible.

Why do some infants with neuroblastoma respond to #cancer in ways older children don’t? 🤔 St. Baldrick’s researcher, Dr. Rowe, and colleagues are looking at infant T cells for answers.

These immune cells are especially responsive and can resist the “exhaustion” that limits some current immunotherapies. By understanding what makes these cells unique, researchers hope to create safer, more effective treatments for children with #neuroblastoma and other hard-to-treat cancers. 🙏 Research today can help more children survive and thrive.

👉 Donate at the link in bio to help make that research possible. 21 1 Ink outside the box this summer! Host a colorful fundraiser with body art, custom temporary tattoos, or your own creative twist!

🎨 Give your community a fun way to show their support while raising funds to help #ConquerKidsCancer. Ready to get creative? 👉 Email DWYWHelp@StBaldricks.

org or tap the link in bio to get started. Ink outside the box this summer! Host a colorful fundraiser with body art, custom temporary tattoos, or your own creative twist!

🎨 Give your community a fun way to show their support while raising funds to help #ConquerKidsCancer. Ready to get creative? 👉 Email DWYWHelp@StBaldricks.

org or tap the link in bio to get started. 13 It's almost a new month, so why not shop some new accessories? Give your accessory collection a little glow-up while giving back to kids with #cancer.

For every item purchased from our @headbandsofhope benefit collection, $1 helps fund critical kids’ cancer research. ❤️ 👉 Grab your new favorite accessories at the link in bio. It's almost a new month, so why not shop some new accessories?

Give your accessory collection a little glow-up while giving back to kids with #cancer. For every item purchased from our @headbandsofhope benefit collection, $1 helps fund critical kids’ cancer research. ❤️ 👉 Grab your new favorite accessories at the link in bio.

59 3 Henry loves race cars, exploring the outdoors, and making people laugh. His bright smile and determination have carried him through some of the hardest days of his childhood. 😄 Henry was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, turning ordinary days into hospital visits, chemotherapy, medications, and countless procedures.

💔 Through every treatment, setback, and victory, Henry has shown incredible strength. 💪 Now, he’s in the maintenance phase of treatment and looking forward to ringing the bell and celebrating the end of his leukemia treatment next month. 🙌 For Henry’s family, reaching this milestone is a reminder of what research can make possible.

Better treatments mean more kids can look forward to milestones like this one – and brighter futures beyond #cancer. 🙏 Help fuel the research that gives kids like Henry more reasons to smile. 🙂 Donate at the link in bio.

Henry loves race cars, exploring the outdoors, and making people laugh. His bright smile and determination have carried him through some of the hardest days of his childhood. 😄 Henry was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, turning ordinary days into hospital visits, chemotherapy, medications, and countless procedures.

💔 Through every treatment, setback, and victory, Henry has shown incredible strength. 💪 Now, he’s in the maintenance phase of treatment and looking forward to ringing the bell and celebrating the end of his leukemia treatment next month. 🙌 For Henry’s family, reaching this milestone is a reminder of what research can make possible.

Better treatments mean more kids can look forward to milestones like this one – and brighter futures beyond #cancer. 🙏 Help fuel the research that gives kids like Henry more reasons to smile. 🙂 Donate at the link in bio.

49 Why do some children with the same #cancer have different outcomes? A recent St. Baldrick’s supported study looked at more than 2,000 children with B-cell ALL to better understand survival disparities among Hispanic, black, and white patients.

Researchers found that differences in relapse explained much of the survival gap, but Hispanic children continued to have poorer outcomes even after accounting for those factors. The study also found that children living in lower-income neighborhoods experienced lower survival overall. 💔 The takeaway?

We need continued research to improve treatments, prevent relapse, and ensure every child has access to the most effective therapies – regardless of race, ethnicity, or where they live. 🙏 👉 Like and reshare to raise awareness about these disparities. 🔗 If you’re able, tap the link in bio to help ensure children get access to the same level of care.

Why do some children with the same #cancer have different outcomes? A recent St. Baldrick’s supported study looked at more than 2,000 children with B-cell ALL to better understand survival disparities among Hispanic, black, and white patients.

Researchers found that differences in relapse explained much of the survival gap, but Hispanic children continued to have poorer outcomes even after accounting for those factors. The study also found that children living in lower-income neighborhoods experienced lower survival overall. 💔 The takeaway?

We need continued research to improve treatments, prevent relapse, and ensure every child has access to the most effective therapies – regardless of race, ethnicity, or where they live. 🙏 👉 Like and reshare to raise awareness about these disparities. 🔗 If you’re able, tap the link in bio to help ensure children get access to the same level of care.

31 2 Every goal means more when you know who you’re cheering for. ✨ On Saturday, September 5, 2022 Ambassador Benji will take the field at the @LVLightsFC vs New Mexico United match for the Faith and Soccer Night ⚽ – and share his story with the crowd. We'd love for our St.

Baldrick’s community to be there, cheering loudly, and showing Benji just how much he means to us. 💚 Get discounted $25 tickets at the link in bio, with $5 from every ticket benefiting St. Baldrick’s.

Come cheer for Benji. Come cheer for all kids with cancer. 🙌 @teamsuperbenji Every goal means more when you know who you’re cheering for.

✨ On Saturday, September 5, 2022 Ambassador Benji will take the field at the @LVLightsFC vs New Mexico United match for the Faith and Soccer Night ⚽ – and share his story with the crowd. We'd love for our St. Baldrick’s community to be there, cheering loudly, and showing Benji just how much he means to us.

💚 Get discounted $25 tickets at the link in bio, with $5 from every ticket benefiting St. Baldrick’s. Come cheer for Benji.

Come cheer for all kids with cancer. 🙌 @teamsuperbenji Top charity funder of childhood cancer research grants. The St.

Baldrick’s Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c)3 organization, IRS identification number 20-1173824. Donations made to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation are tax deductible in the U.S. 1333 South Mayflower Avenue, Suite 400 Monrovia, CA 91016 USA