To shave my head for charity?

[Topaz25]

I'm seriously considering shaving my long hair off for charity. As well as collecting sponsorship for a cancer charity, I would also donate the hair to The Little Princess Trust, which provides real-hair wigs to children that have sadly lost their own hair through cancer treatment.

Has anyone done anything like this? Were you happy with the result or did you regret it? Any tips?

Would you think it was weird if a friend did this? My DH thinks it is weird and is concerned what our colleagues will think. I think they will see my commitment to fundraising as a positive thing and anyway I could wear a wig to work. I think he is also worried that he won't find me attractive bald. I think it's just hair and it will grow back!

So WIBU to shave my head for charity?

[YaMasYaDaWithAWigOn]

I'm doing this for the same charity in a few weeks. But I'm not shaving my head, I'm getting around 15" cut off. I'm sure I read on their page that it has to be plaited or tied up at both ends so it can be sent off. Will you be able to do that if it's shaved?

TBH I think it is a bit strange but I have known a woman shave her head for a different cancer charity. And like you say, it's only hair and will grow back.

[Topaz25]

You are correct that hair has to be plaited or tied up to be donated. I would have the portion cut off that I was donating and then have the rest shaved off.

I guess I don't necessarily see weird as a bad thing, I think because it is a bit different and not something everyone would do it would attract more attention and therefore more donations. Whereas my DH definitely sees it as weird in a bad way.

[Topaz25]

It's great that you are donating your hair btw, 15" is a lot!

[Snapespeare]

I'd do it for all the good reasons that you've stated AND because your DH would find it bad-weird. If he finds you attractive solely because of your hair and not because of a thousand other amazing things about you, then he's being a bit twattish I'm afraid. Lots of women lose their hair for medical reasons. I'm hopeful that their husbands cherish them with or without hair.

[Snapespeare]

And I wouldn't find it weird at all. I'd think you were super.

[Wigglebummunch]

I think it's an amazing thing to do. I've seen a couple of people posting on local FB selling pages and getting donations then posting their before and after pics.

[LST]

I shaved my head for Athritis Research UK back in December and it was the best thing I have ever done!

I rasied £1600 and felt amazing afterwards. My hair was mid back length when I had mine done.

It's an amazing feeling afterwards. Showering is so easy afterwards as well!

Do it!!

[Suefla62]

I think it's a bit OTT. There have to be better ways of fund raising. I'm afraid I agree with your husband, it's weird, and strikes me as a bit desperate a in, look at me, look at me aren't I wonderful, type of way.

[weebarra]

While appreciating what you are wanting to do, are there not other things you could do to raise money? It will soon be two months since I finished chemo and I still just have baby fuzz. It's the one thing (apart from having no breasts now) that makes me feel like a "cancer sufferer".

[AbbeyBartlet]

Whatever you decide to do, just wanted to mention that I got flamed on here a few months ago because I did it (years ago) but I think it hit a nerve with some people. I think that some people were quite offended. I had to request that my post be deleted eventually.

[LST]

I've never received a bad word about me shaving my head.

And I didn't do it in a "look at me" way either ... I did it as having suffered from RA really badly and being 8 months pregnant, i didn't think there was a "better" way to make money.

[Topaz25]

That's interesting AbbeyBartlet. Why were people offended? I think someone should be able to style their hair however they want!

[AbbeyBartlet]

I think it was because I found it to be quite a positive experience and wasn't particularly upset when it was done, iyswim (for the same reason as LST). It was awkward because I think people who had lost their hair due to cancer thought I was making light of it (I really wasn't!).

I didn't even do it for a cancer charity - it was to raise funds for one of my colleagues, who had two children with a rare medical condition and who needed their house adapting.

[WooWooOwl]

I wouldn't do something like that if my DH wasn't fully supportive.

I think the fact that he's worried he won't find you attractive is a valid concern, in the same way that I'd expect my husband to care that I didn't find him attractive if he put on four stone, or if he decided to grow a big bushy beard or a handlebar moustache.

It's also not the type of thing I'd be keen to sponsor someone for. I'm choosy about what I sponsor people for anyway simply both with the charity and the thing they are doing, just because so many people want to be sponsored for one thing or another nowadays. When it comes to the thing they're doing, I'd rather sponsor someone for doing something that takes a lot of effort and involves an achievement.

In your position I'd probably cut of the hair I wanted to donate, have a short haircut, and then donate some of my own money to pay for the cost of it being made into a wig.

[whynowblowwind]

Couldn't you just have it cut into a pixie style?

I think if you want shaved hair, have shaved hair, I think it looks dreadful but you might think the same about my hair :) but to be honest I just don't really like sponsorships like this - where you aren't actually DOING something. I much prefer the sort of "I'm cutting my hair and donating it to this trust, could anyone make an additional donation to the charity?" I'd be reluctant to sponsor someone to look dreadful is my honest answer! I WOULD, because I support charity, but I'd rather not!

[ShatnersBassoon]

You have to consider how your sponsors feel about it. Why would they sponsor you to do something that you just fancy doing anyway, that isn't arduous or demanding? Is just a hair cut isn't it?

[Joysmum]

A friend did it last year and raised loads.

Then in April my other friend decided to bite the bullet and invite everyone round for a head shaving party where each of us donated and took some off her. A very poignant evening, she was doing it because she was about to lose it all to chemo. Having us all do some really made us think more carefully how hard it was to lose your hair through chemotherapy, rather than if she'd done it herself and we weren't there and involved. At the end of the day, it wasn't about educating us though, it was about her getting it over and done with in one go in terms of hair loss and doing it in front of everybody who mattered so the following weeks weren't consumed with the awkwardness of being seen hairless for the first time. She never regretted it.

Sadly I got the news yesterday that she died. She was only in her mid 30's and leaves behind 2 children and her new husband having been married less than 2 days. The wedding was to have been in 3 weeks with the hen night this Saturday. As her liver was affected we were told it was Minion themed to embrace her yellow colour, again, her idea because she always coped through humour and confrontation.

Whilst I appreciate that suefla62 and weebarra would not deal with things the same way, I wouldn't have either if it were me, all we've done have been led by our friend as this was what was right for her. We all are different and won't all agree but I'm glad my friend was able to do things her way with our support.

[LST]

whynow.. it didn't look dreadful either

Might not be your cup of tea.. but i didn't look "dreadful".

And for those saying it isn't doing anything... what else should I have done?

[Topaz25]

Joysmum So sorry for your loss Your friend sounds very brave.

[Ragwort]

I would much rather sponsor someone to do somethinguseful like litter picking or grass cutting, to me it sounds like 'look at me, I am doing something fantastic' when the reslity is that you really aren't doing anything difficult or challenging. I also wonder why people make such a show of raising money for charity. Personnally I raise quite a bit of money every year through making things but don't feel the need to tell everyone about it.

[weebarra]

Joysmum, I am so very sorry about your friend. Brings it all very close to home. My DH shaved my hair off just as I was starting chemo - with the roller coaster ride that is cancer I needed to be in control of some small part of what was happening to me.

[LST]

I'm sure i would have raised lots of money grass cutting

[Suefla62]

Joysmum in your circumstances I totally support shaving your head. A friend of mine recently passed away from cancer and a group of our friends shaved their heads. The original OP is not supporting a cancer sufferer or even a cancer charity. I think that's why I can't support her decision. Maybe with the recent loss of my friend I'm too close to the issue and if I am I'm sorry, but I was just giving my opinion.

[Topaz25]

weebarra Sorry to hear you are going through this but I think my experience of shaving my head would be different because it would be my choice rather than through illness. I do other things to raise money for charity but I thought this would attract more attention and therefore more donations.

[whynowblowwind]

Last, it's a style I associate with thuggery and cruelty so to me shaved heads look dreadful.

Of course, as I said above, my hair probably looks dreadful to you. Different tastes and everything. I have to say though I imagine many workplaces have rules about shaved heads - my last one certainly did.