Life is an ever-changing thing, especially for someone as young as a child. When a child has to deal with serious health concerns, life can become even more challenging. Wigs for Kids is an organization with a goal to make that hard time a little bit easier for children in need.

Wigs for Kids is a non-profit organization founded in 1981 by Jeffrey Paul — a cosmetic therapist and inspirational speaker — as an organization serving children who suffer from hair loss. This organization has a mission to help kids raise their self-esteem and hopes by giving kids who are undergoing health crises an opportunity to have wigs. Wigs for Kids’ mission is all about making children feel good about themselves so they can put their health first.

The wigs from Wigs for Kids are valued at $1,800 each, but are free to children who need them. They are handmade, made from all human hair and personalized for the child they are making the wig for to ensure it is a perfect fit for them.

“They won’t come off on the baseball field or in the playground,” Paul said on the Wigs for Kids website. “Kids can count on them. And because kids look just the way they did before, they feel better about themselves. They look in the mirror and their eyes light up. To see that light in their eyes […] that’s priceless.”

Community members of Iowa State and Ames have the opportunity to help kids through this organization by going to a cut-a-thon and donating hair.

Wigs for Kids Cut-A-Thon is taking place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at My Salon & Spa, 4611 Mortensen Rd. Attendees can receive a free haircut if they have intentions to donate their hair. The only requirement is their hair has to be 10 inches or longer in order to donate.

“Both Beautiful Lengths and Wigs for Kids supply wigs at no charge to the people who need them,” said Megan Mumper, who works at My Salon & Spa. “That is a very important aspect of both organizations that is important to our salon. It’s what we look for in a non-profit.”

Mumper said these organizations are so important to their salon, which has been participating in events like this ever since it opened four years ago. This year My Salon & Spa is hoping for a great turnout of hair donations as well as financial donations.

This year, they are donating any financial donation made at their salon to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths Campaign, a different non-profit geared toward helping children receive wigs. This organization isn’t taking direct donations at this time due to overwhelming support.

Those who are interested in helping without donating hair or who want to do more than just donate their hair can donate money at My Salon & Spa toward the Pantene Beautiful Lengths Campaign or donate directly to the Wigs for Kids website.