Ivinson Memorial Hospital To Host Wigs for Kids 2017

Laramie residents have the opportunity to donate to a special cause at the Wigs for Kids 2017 event Thursday evening.

Ivinson Memorial Hospital is hosting the event, which will gather hair to provide free wigs for children who have suffered hair loss because of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, burns and other medial issues.

IMH Chaplain Rhett Ivey said there are specific requirements for the hair that can be donated. Hair has to be at least 12 inches long, must be clean and dry and can’t be permed, dread-locked or color-treated. Hair that has been temporarily colored in the past will be accepted as long as the color has been removed prior to donating.

“Grey or shorter hair is acceptable and Wigs for Kids will sell that to other companies to offset costs of manufacturing those pieces,” Ivey said.

Ivey said the hospital chose to support Wigs for Kids because the nonprofit doesn’t charge families for the wigs and custom fits the wigs for each child. Ivey said the wigs are distributed throughout the country to children under the age of 18.

Ivey said a lot of the hair goes to children suffering from Alopecia.

“Alopecia is a deal where 60 percent of kids will get their hair back but 40 percent don’t, so a lot of it goes to kids with Alopecia, or kids that have burns or other medical issues” Ivey said.

Ivey said stylists at the Palatium Hair Studio and the Grand Stylist Salon in Laramie will be performing the cuts and will also style donor’s hair after the cut and Palatium will donate a makeover to the donor who has the longest hair donation.

Donors who also want to gather pledges for inches-cut will be able to do so and sign-up sheets are available in the IMH atrium. Ivey said the proceeds from that will go to the Cancer Center to purchase post-surgical camisoles, post-mastectomy bras, wigs and hats for patients in the region.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. in the west atrium of IMH.