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‘Locks of Love’ haircuts bind family together,
helps others.
By Pat Sherman
Community News Writer
Escondido Local News
March 2006
ESCONDIDO – When Amber Copley’s mother started
chemotherapy, Copley and her daughter made a pact.
“I told (my mother) if she lived through
her treatment that we would donate our hair to make
her a wig,” recalled Amber, 26.
Copley and her daughter 9-year-old
Michaela Leon never got the chance to make good on
their promise. The woman who nurtured and enriched
their lives daily lost her battle with cancer on
Oct. 5. Denise Leroux was 50 years old.
“She was a loving, caring person,”
Copley said of her mother, and Escondido resident.
“She was always there for her grandkids.”
This month, Copley and her decides to do
the next best thing in honor of Leroux.
Seated in adjacent chairs at The Loft
Hair Design & Skin Care in Escondido, Copley and
Michaela each had 10” cut off. The hair will be
donated to Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization
that provides hairpieces to financially
disadvantaged children with long-term medical hair
loss.
“I just carried out what I told her (I
would do),” said Copley, with a touch of melancholy.
“It’s a good feeling after you do it,
(knowing) that you helped someone without having to
pay anything.”
Through the end of the month (March
2006), The Loft is giving free haircuts to people
with 10 or more inches of hair to donate.
Seated before a mirror, Copley
considered her new bob haircut while stylist Erin
Campbell prepared add auburn highlights to offset
the trauma of shedding the tresses. Sticking out
from the lower corners of the mirror were two
photographs of Leroux.
Copley said it had been years since her
hair was that short. Michaela had never had her hair
cut that short.
“She’s going to kill me,” Copley said ,
with a laugh, easing the tension.
Moving over to Michaela, Campbell tied
the child’s hair back gently with a rubber band and
measure 10 inches with a ruler.
Michaela’s knees knocked nervously below
her apron as Campbell brought the scissors across
her hair.
“Mommy, my hair’s shorter than yours,”
Michaela said.
Asked about her grandmother, Michaela
recalled movie outings and trips to the beach. “She
was my best friend,” a tear rolling down her cheek.
Resting a hand on Michaela shoulder,
salon owner Shawna Cruise told her, “You’re a very
brave girl.”
Cruise has set of goal of donating 200
inches of her customers’ hair to Locks of Love.
Although it would seem and easy goal,
Cruise said trimming 10 or more inches of hair can
be a big step for a person.
“They’re very attached to it,” Cruise
said. “It’s very traumatic. … Having a cause gives
you a reason to do it.
Customer Teri Sowell said she was moved
to cut her hair after seeing a poster for the event,
which showed a women’s long flowing mane enveloping
a child with no hair.
“I was more attached (to my hair) that I
thought I was. I had no plans to cut my hair. …My
heart just responded to it.”
Two years ago, Cruise and her staff
helped raise $4,000 for the program during a “blue
do” event, in which people collected monetary
pledges to have their hair dyed blue.
To locate a barber or salon
participating in the Locks of Love program, go to
www.locksoflove.org or call 888.896.1588
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