Our Zeta Iota chapter of Kappa Delta at Saint Louis University has been faced with an overwhelming presence of cancer. Two girls in our chapter, Sarah Wielgos and I, were diagnosed with cancer within 6 months of each other, both of us having to leave school and face the fight. It was really hard for both of us, and I cannot speak for Sarah, but it was pretty amazing see how much love and support we felt from friends, our KD chapter, and the Saint Louis community as well as everyone who sent well wishes or just said a prayer for us. So, at our last chapter meeting last semester, it was announced that we had began planning to hold a university wide hair donating event, teaming with Pantene Beautiful Lengths and the American Cancer Society to provide women going through chemotherapy and radiation with wigs! This of course brought me to tears and over the last nine months, we have been planning, preparing, and finally executing the first ever event we named Kuts for C∆nfidence!
We want to show our support for anyone going through cancer and show that hair should not be a symbol of beauty. When I first started losing my hair, I was one month into treatment and every part of my scalp began to feel tingly. It slowly started leaving traces on my pillows, in my bed, and started to really affect me mentally. I was really nervous about losing my hair because it was my identity. One night in the hospital I was so uncomfortable, in a lot of pain, and felt so disgusting feeling all the shedding hair covering my hospital bed. I crutched to the bathroom with my IV pole and in a bout of frustration climbed into the shower and sat (I couldn't stand) scrubbing all the shedding hair off of me. For the first time, I sobbed in the shower as a pulled chunks of hair from my head holding the wet, dead hair in my hands. I watched as a mess of hair started piling over the drain, unable to contain my sobs. I didn't want my family to see how upset I was about my hair but I couldn't hold it in anymore. My sister helped me blow dry what was left of my hair and brush out as much of the loose hairs as we could and I sat silently the rest of the night, unable to eat or think of anything except my hair loss.
The goal of this amazing event is to show that you don't need hair to be confident, it's meaningless and beauty comes in all forms, long hair, short hair, or no hair. It's about your personality and what truly shines through, not your appearance or your hair. I cannot even put into words how amazing this event is and how much it means to me that we are doing it. We have over 65 people signed up to donate 8 or more inches of hair and I can hardly wait.
So, the day is finally here. Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 10th, 2013, the first ever Kuts For Confidence will take place on Saint Louis University's campus! The schedule of events goes as follows:
We will be having FREE drop-in haircuts or trims all day (12-5 pm) in the Simon Recreation Center with stylists who are graciously donating their time! We ask that if you are able, please donate a few dollars for a haircut where all the money will go to the Confidence Coalition, an organization founded by Kappa Delta Sorority committed to the promotion of confidence in women around the world.
At 7 pm, the big hair donating event will take place in Tegler Auditorium where anyone donating 8 or more inches of hair, or boys shaving their heads, will be on stage and there will be a big ceremony as we watch the big "Kuts" take place! I will be giving a speech and assist in kicking off the night!
We are so incredibly excited for this event! If you would like to learn more about it, or want to participate in the event, please check out our website:
www.kutsforconfidence.weebly.com
There you can learn more about the event, sign up to donate 8 or more inches of hair, or make a monetary donation! Every little part is so greatly appreciated! I cannot wait for tomorrow, I am so excited and blessed to be surrounded by so many people who are committed in making a difference. This is going to be an amazing event.
As my beautiful roommate Alex who is studying abroad this semester told me, "Life isn't about what happens, it's not about places or material things. Life is about feelings, seeing the qualities in yourself and in others that truly make them shine." I think that really sums it up for me, that's why this event is really special. Thank you all for your continued love and support, tomorrow truly will be an amazing day.
#longhairDOcare
www.kutsforconfidence.weebly.com
Em
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