Yesterday was a very special day for my family. It would have been my cousin Wendy's birthday. Her life was cut short by uterine sarcoma in November of 2006 at. By the time is was diagnosed it was already in stage 3. Although she had the best doctors possible for the situation, Wendy lost her battle only 6 months later. We started a tradition this year of releasing lavender balloons with messages in them from some place we shared fond memories. This year my Aunt Shirley picked her childhood home.
Then... (after a bottle of wine, of course!)
we all went and got our hair cut in her memory.
It is being donated to Pantene Beautiful Lengths to help another cancer patient feel beautiful. My sisters and I each had 9 1/2 inches cut and my mom donated 11 1/2 inches.
This day was almost 2 years in the making. It was an extremely emotional day for me because it was something that Wendy and I were going to do together. The day we discussed donating our hair was the last day that we spent together. When she had called me that October to tell me that the treatments weren't working, she made me promise that I would still donate my hair. So... when my mom and sisters asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I asked them to donate their hair with me.
Thanks guys, it was the best be-lated birthday gift ever!
5 comments:
I love your kept promise . . . What a great tribute to Wendy, whom you obviously loved dearly. God bless you as you miss her.
-- Nancy
What a special thing to do for Wendy - a beautiful group of women in the pic too.
I'm sure your cousin would be so proud of you. I'm sorry you had to donate your hair without her, but how awesome that the other ladies in your family rallied for Wendy.
Your actions speak volumes for the love shared within your family!
So sorry for the loss of Wendy. I'm sure she was smiling down on you!
Julie R
WOW--that is so great guys!! We have a little girl at our church with bone cancer (she is a survivor, Thank God) but she has been on crutches for years and will probably forever be. . One of the young mothers of the church donate ALL of her hair and went "bald" with Mariah!! It was very COOL....y'all are the best for donating your hair for such a GREAT cause.
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