When 9 year old Abigail Schacher announced to her mom that she wanted to shave her head, donate the hair to make wigs and raise money for cancer research, who knew that she would actually go through it.
Tara Schacher, Abigail’s mom, said, “She came up with this idea about 3-4 weeks ago. I thought she would change her mind or it was just a phase and she would forget about it. Because her sister thought of the same thing when she was 9 as well and she changed her mind. Abigail wouldn’t drop it though and I kept telling her ‘it’s gonna take a while for your hair to be long again’. As well as some kids might say some mean things to her. She said ‘that’s ok Mom, another little girl will be able to use her hair it’s for a good cause’.”
So Tara took to social media announcing to the world that Abigail would be shaving her head and was accepting donations. They also took the streets of Chestermere, knocking on neighbour’s doors and explaining her story and why she wanted to do this. That reason why is very near and dear to the Schacher family.
“I think both girls have seen me doing the Relay for Life and Terry Fox Run since they were born in Memory of My Mom (Their Nana). They never met her but know what an amazing woman she was to our family. We lost her to Cancer in 1998. So this is why she wanted to do it for Cancer Research hopefully one day they will find a cure so no one else will suffer from this awful disease”, explained Tara.
On Wednesday June 24th, surrounded by her family, brave Abigail climbed into a chair at Chestermere Barber Shop and the wait was over. One by one the small pony tails came off and the big smile on Abigails face through the whole thing showed that her decision was not one she regretted. When it was all said and done, a hug from a teary mom and cheers from her family, this sweet girl has definitely made a choice that will change someone’s life.
Her hair is being donated to Angel Hair for Kids which is a program of A Child’s Voice Foundation™ that provides wigs and hair loss solutions to financially disadvantaged children in Canada who have lost their hair due to a medical condition or treatment. Using hair that is generously donated to the program, the foundation can create wigs and hair systems and provide them at no cost to the child’s family. Every year many children in Canada will lose their hair due to conditions such as cancer treatments, alopecia and even burns. The foundation believes that providing a wig or hair loss solution will increase a child’s self-esteem and improve their self-image, during a difficult and sometimes painful time in their lives. It is also their hope to help them face their condition and daily life with a greater confidence. Since the program’s inception only three years ago we are proud to say that we have helped over 150 children, and the demand is steadily increasing.
To date, Abigail has raised $1460. “The money is going to the Kids Cancer Care Foundation in Calgary. We are going there Monday to drop the cheque off and she will get a certificate, glasses and a hat”, explained Tara. “We want to Thank Everyone for donating to this wonderful cause. It means the world to our family. Much Love from Our Family to Yours!”
