On Feb. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., senior Aaron Chaplin held a fundraiser at the Keystone Barber School. The fundraiser was set up for people to come in and donate their hair to Wigs For Kids. 

According to Wigs For Kids, “For over 30 years, Wigs For Kids has been providing hair replacement systems and support for children who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, alopecia, trichotillomania, burns and other medical issues at no cost to the children or their families.”

For Chaplin, losing his hair is common for him, so he wanted to hold a senior project that could help others like him.

“I decided to do this fundraiser for my senior project because my little sister Abbie and I both suffer from alopecia, and I thought it would be a great way to give to the community and support those with hair loss,” Chaplin said. 

Alopecia is common in the U.S. It can’t be cured, but treatment can help it.

“Alopecia is an autoimmune disease that attacks the hair follicles, causing hair loss. Alopecia has affected me in many different ways. Whenever I was first diagnosed with the disease, I had no idea how to feel. At first I lost so much confidence; however, I have also built up so much confidence and can truly feel like myself,” Chaplin said. 

Not only was Chaplin’s goal to get donations to Wigs for Kids, but he was also looking to get donations for another organization.

“I hoped to be able to donate enough hair to make wigs for people who suffer from hair loss and also lack self-confidence. I also was hoping to get some monetary donations for Children’s Alopecia Project (CAP),” Chaplin said. 

Chaplin was overjoyed with the turnout of his fundraiser.

“I had three people come and donate their hair to help with this amazing cause, and I was given a good bit of monetary donations as well,” Chaplin said.

Sophomore Mia Lestochi was one of the three participants in the fundraiser.

“I decided to participate because my hair was already so long, and I needed to cut it anyway. Then I saw Aaron’s thing and decided to donate it,” Lestochi said. “I think it is important to donate to Wigs for Kids because some kids can’t grow hair and I wanted to help them out and have the privilege of having hair. I would do it again.”

According to Chaplin, he had many supporters for doing this fundraiser.

“My family, my friends, the Keystone Barber School and people from my job all helped. I would just like to give a huge thank you to everyone who supported me through all of this,” Chaplin said.