FAIRFIELD, PA -- Ahead of her third round of chemotherapy, Alyssa White received some news that painted an ear-to-ear grin on her face.
The 16-year-old Fairfield Area High School student was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in January. As a side effect of the chemotherapy treatment, her hair fell out.
Out to lunch with her former summer camp counselor on Sunday, White learned her upcoming prom will not be defined by her disease.
Sporting a new haircut, Ashley Smith, 29, surprised her friend about a campaign she started in February.
Smith, of Bonneauville Borough, raised more than $2,300 to have a wig made out of her own hair, and she had it rush ordered to be ready for White's prom.
Smith, who always loved her long blonde hair and hadn't cut it significantly since elementary school, had 24 inches cut off at The Spa on West Main in Westminster on March 14.
At Olivia's near Gettysburg on Sunday, Smith presented White with an oversized card with the message, "You're one tough cookie, and we all have your back." The card was signed by dozens of White's friends who donated to the YouCaring campaign. Leftover funds will go toward White's medical expenses.
"I cut my hair, and I sent it away," Smith revealed to White through tears. "And all these people have helped me raise money to have a wig made for you in time for prom."
The tears flowed for the teenager, too.
"It means everything to me," White said. "I’m so excited."
The two met at Pine View Farm Fun near Littlestown when Smith was White's summer camp counselor.
Back then, the weeks Smith spent with the young camper stood out as White was "so loud."
The two remained close, and Smith was impressed with the person White became.
"She is just so bubbly, and she's so hopeful," Smith said.
White has babysat Smith's children and used her personal money to plan and bring activities for them.
Smith was especially affected by how White chose to handle her diagnosis, choosing to embrace it rather than withdraw.
"I can’t believe she’s so like positive," Smith said. "I feel like I would be mad. But I guess it happens to those people that are strong enough to go through it."
Smith grew emotional when discussing how she came to the decision. Exchanging messages with White, she felt the teen's devastation over losing her hair.
"I was ready to just shave my head, just leave and cut it all off because I have that choice," Smith said. "Like, she doesn’t."
Smith found a company online called Caring and Comfort that makes custom wigs out of human hair. On the day of the haircut, Smith's hair was placed in separate ponytails, rubber banded, lopped off, wrapped in tissue paper, bagged and packaged to be sent away.
Typically, people who donate their hair get about 8 inches cut, said Dawn DeMario, the owner of The Spa on West Main. On average, women's hair grows about 6 inches a year.
"For somebody to do 24 inches, I haven't seen it in my career," she said.
Smith never planned to cut her hair unless she knew someone that needed it.
"I guess just seeing how happy and positive (White) still is and how much she literally impacts every person she’s around even if it’s the first time, I just thought that I could do something for her that — it’s not going to hurt me," Smith said. "It’s not going to be a big deal for me to do, and it would mean so much to her."
White, accompanied by her mother who was also surprised with the news, was touched by the gesture and gave Smith a big hug.
White said she was feeling well this week ahead of her treatment at Johns Hopkins on Wednesday. Since January, it has been "a roller coaster of emotions and appointments," White said.
"Everyone has been so supportive, and it's been a lot, but it's going pretty good so far," she said, adding that her cancer was "just going to be a bump in the road."
Beaming through her tears, White repeatedly expressed gratitude toward Smith and those who helped make this happen.
"I loved my hair," she said. "The hardest part for me was losing it. So knowing that she did that, she did this for me, is really, really special."
Community Forum
Topic: She cut off two feet of hair and changed someone’s life (Read 1615 times)
December 14, 2009, 06:09:56 pm
