Comments | cleolinda: Sunday evening already?

cleolinda

Sunday evening already?

Nov 04, 2007 19:58

So, here's what's new in the world of L'affaire Lexicon:

soleta_nf remembered Steve Vander Ark saying at Convention Alley 2004 that "his real reason for starting the lexicon was that he knew JKR would be publishing an encyclopedia someday, and he hoped that, by having already created one, he would be the person she approached to help her with it." ( Read more... )

harry potter, poe, movies, neil gaiman, jewelry, books, his dark materials, cloverfield, x-men, x-files, batman, wank

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Damn hair-cutting for cancer again! dakiwiboid November 5 2007, 02:37:58 UTC

Most cancer-patients and survivors don't wear wigs made from actual hair. They use synthetics, if they use wigs at all. They're lighter, easier to care for, dry faster when washed, etc. While they're undergoing chemo, patients generally wear hats, scarves and turbans.

So much more hair is donated than is needed and so little of it is actually suitable that most of it is either discarded or is sold to the wig-making industry.

Furthermore, people with long, pretty hair are often harassed about donating their hair instead of keeping it, as if the only purpose of growing hair was to have it cut for these events.

I hate it when highly-publicized hair-cuttings take place. They do so much more harm than good. A cash donation to help the women buy chemo would be so much more useful.

Re: Damn hair-cutting for cancer again! cleolinda November 5 2007, 03:16:36 UTC

Man, there are so many comments on this entry that I'm gonna have to mention in the next post--the synthetic wig thing makes so much sense.

Re: Damn hair-cutting for cancer again! quasar360 November 5 2007, 05:53:15 UTC

So... is hair donation bad, then? Even if it's pretty good quality hair? :(

(Sorry - donating my hair, which grows ridiculously quickly and is much-admired, has always made me feel like I'm being helpful. If it's actually the opposite... I feel bad now.)

Re: Damn hair-cutting for cancer again! jennnk November 5 2007, 06:41:17 UTC

unfortunately, your good intentions probably wound up on some starlet's head as extensions, or in a shop catering to frum women who'd rather wear a wig than a scarf. from what I know, locks of love has MASSIVE issues with where their money and hair actually goes, and like the PP said, most cancer patients don't bother with wigs. don't feel bad, because we've all been there with something (for me, it was with this same issue AND I convinced my mom & brother to do it with me), you just know better for next time.

Re: Damn hair-cutting for cancer again! quasar360 November 5 2007, 07:25:41 UTC

How disappointing! Do you know whether the same is true for other hair-donation programs, like Pantene's Beautiful Lengths? I had heard of Locks of Love's shady business practices and switched programs, but now it sounds like it's all a waste. I wonder why Oprah and various hair care companies bother to promote this stuff - *snort* is that where all the donation money is going?

See my comment below dakiwiboid November 5 2007, 15:42:21 UTC

Even if the hair is discarded instead of being sold, which is bad enough, or if the wigs are actually made, I honestly don't think most patients don't want them. I went into my detail below. To really help a woman with cancer who is in need donate to the American Cancer Society directly and designate that your donation be for women. Women need help getting chemo, radiation, surgery, and other treatment one hell of a lot more than they need cosmetic coverups.

Re: Damn hair-cutting for cancer again! jennnk November 6 2007, 06:01:03 UTC

I have no clue about the other organizations, but there's a website or three that tracks non-profit spending on things like overhead & such...names escape me at the moment, but I'm sure google could help.

I used to work in a department at a Cancer Center that served patients on a daily basis dakiwiboid November 5 2007, 15:36:58 UTC

I seldom saw a patient undergoing chemo or recovering from it wearing a wig. My friends who have had cancer (and I've known a lot of them) wore caps or turbans, bandanas or went proudly bald. A few wore synthetics. None wore real hair. It's hot. It's heavy. When your scalp is easier to abrade, as it is after chemo, covering it with something light and easy to remove rather than a wig, which has to be anchored or glued down, makes sense ( ... )

Sorry, bad link dakiwiboid November 5 2007, 15:38:33 UTC

Try here.

Re: Damn hair-cutting for cancer again! ocarina November 5 2007, 21:04:59 UTC

That plus most western women's hair is simply not wig quality. It's washed too much for starters, let alone the blow drying and styling. I laughed a little at Swank saying she took vitamins for her hair for 6 months. That's the part that won't get cut, that she's keeping on her head!

My grandmother wore wigs for chemo, but she didn't want anyone she didn't tell to know she was ill. And she complained about them.

A friend of mine was just talking about feel good charities to me yesterday. She loves food banks, because you buy food and bring it there and voila! Someone gets food! You feel instantly good and you really are doing good. She always recommends it to people who want to participate in more wasteful charity feel good things.

Re: Damn hair-cutting for cancer again! conuly November 6 2007, 04:01:55 UTC

What about donating it to clean up oil spills?

Re: Damn hair-cutting for cancer again! lomer November 6 2007, 04:26:26 UTC

I'm sad to hear this. I hadn't heard that Locks of Love had shady business dealings before.

I've donated my hair quite a few times. I remember how excited my castmate was when she got her hair from locks of love. She was 12, and losing her hair was a big blow. She loved her wig. I donated my hair the next day.

I'm sorry to hear there aren't more good experiences out there.

Was she an alopecia sufferer? dakiwiboid November 6 2007, 04:32:14 UTC

I know that's their focus, and they do indeed provide wigs for those children, however, it's not anywhere near as many per year as the amount of hair collected leads donors to believe.

It's really unfortunate that so many people believe that the hair collected from LoL goes to cancer patients.

Re: Was she an alopecia sufferer? lomer November 6 2007, 04:40:18 UTC

Nope, I forget what kind of cancer she had but it had something to do with her glands.

Is there a better charity to donate hair to? I'm fine with the idea that they sell the hair in order to then donate the money. For a poor college student, I have hair to donate, not monetary funds.

They must have made an exception in her case dakiwiboid November 6 2007, 04:50:04 UTC

Every single Locks of Love website specifies that their wigs are for alopecia patients, not cancer patients.

There really is no such thing as a good hair donation charity. If you don't have money, do you have time? How about calling your local branch of the American Cancer Society to see where they need volunteers, even a yearly event if you can't do it more often? Giving a day once a year shouldn't be a bigger deal than getting your hair cut. If you don't have that much time, you could wait until you graduate to donate money.

Re: They must have made an exception in her case lomer November 6 2007, 05:34:22 UTC

I don't know anything more about her case other then she had chemo, lost her hair and LoL got her a partial wig.

Unfortunately time is something I have even less of then money. (I'm a theatre major who also works in professional theatre. 8 shows a week on top of being a full time student AND rehearsing for the next show I have lined up, pretty much kills all my free time.) You're right, after I graduate I might have more time or money.

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