Jamie Anfenson-Comeau column

Several people have commented on the sudden disappearance of my ponytail over the weekend; so many that I thought it was easier to write a column about it.
My wife has gotten similar comments on the disappearance of her beautiful long hair.
The short answer is that our hair is currently on its way to Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that makes wigs for children with long-term medical hair loss.
The long answer is much more complicated.
This past February, my stepfather, Arthur Bonsaint, died from pelvic cancer after a long, hard-fought battle.
The helplessness I felt at his passing, and in the face of my mother and sister’s grief left me wanting to do something; make some sort of offering or sacrifice.
In ancient Europe, it was traditional amongst many cultures to cut or shave off their hair as a sign of mourning.
This idea stuck with me and reminded me of Locks of Love.
Some of the children receiving wigs are cancer patients who have lost their hair due to radiation or chemotherapy; others suffer from medical conditions such as alopecia, an auto-immune disorder causing partial to total body hair loss.
Locks of Love uses donated hair to produce high-quality prosthetic hairpieces free or at-cost to families who can’t afford the $3500 to $6000 such prosthetics normally cost.
I thought, “What a great idea! I can offer up something of my own, in my father’s name, that will help a child!”
I think he would really have appreciated that, especially since he was always asking me when I was going to get my hair cut.
But much to my regret, the idea slipped my mind, as I became caught up in making arrangements, the funeral services, the flight back, and then back to work, catching up on everything I’d missed after a week away.
The idea came back to me two weeks ago when my wife’s grandfather Edward Tillinghast died due to complications brought on by cancer.
As I watched Shelby dealing with the grief that comes from losing someone so very close to her, I was reminded again of the idea I’d had a few months ago.
So I mentioned it to her over breakfast the day we flew out for her grandfather’s funeral, suggesting that I could donate my hair in my father’s name, and she could donate hers in her grandfather’s name.
The idea appealed to her too, and so we tentatively made plans to do so when we returned.
A few days after we got back, we visited Connie Thibodeaux at “Good Looks” here in Eunice, and well, “Hair today, gone tomorrow!”
More information on Locks of Love can be found at their web site, www.locksoflove.org.

Jamie Anfenson-Comeau can be reached at jamieenews@bellsouth.net.