Three years ago, I made a bet with a fellow colleague on who could go the longest without cutting their hair. I won. It has been three years since I had a haircut. Over a year ago, friends started asking if I was donating it? I did some research and there is this incredible organization called Angel Hair for Kids. Every year thousands of Canadian children lose their hair to cancer treatments, alopecia and other medical causes. It typically takes between 10 and 12 ponytails and $2,000 to sponsor one Angel Hair For Kids’ child. As one who never asks for help, I am asking for your help. I am asking you to donate what you would spend on a haircut to be a part of sponsoring one Angel Hair for Kids’ child.

This is important to me, and hits too close to home. I remember my mom coming home from getting wigs fitted after she lost her hair from cancer treatments. It is heart breaking knowing some children have to deal with this. Mom loved her hair. It was always a new colour and different style - each month if you asked my dad. Your hair is part of your identity, it’s why most of us spend so much money on it. It’s fun and brings joy. A fresh haircut and style bring us a newness. I lost both my parents to disease at a young age and living through the brokenness the disease cancer causes is horrible. It breaks you, and leaves you broken.

But broken crayons can still colour. Even things that are broken can create beautiful new colours, making things visible you weren’t able to see before. When something is broken, it becomes open and no longer sealed, allowing new. We can choose to be a victim of brokenness, or we can colour with the broken crayons handed to us. Like Rocky Balboa said: “You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.”

Let’s colour…

Please consider donating the cost of a haircut, or whatever you can, to help me reach or even exceed my goal of $2,000. Chickie Donohue said in the movie The Greatest Beer Run Ever, “It’s like you said, everyone is doing something and I’m doing nothing.” Let’s do something. Join me in bringing some colour and joy to an Angel Hair for Kids’ child.

Love & Gratitude,

Jared Irvine