A cut above the rest

Mikaela Randall has never been a big fan of haircuts.

“Besides the accidental haircuts that she gave herself as a child, she was adamant,” said Lindsey Randall, Makaela’s mom. “‘You are not cutting my hair.’ She loved her hair.”

So it came as a surprise when Mikaela, 11, announced that she wanted to cut off 10 inches of her dark, curly hair and donate it to Locks of Love, a nonprofit that provides wigs to children in need.

Makaela said she was inspired to donate her hair while visiting her grandmother, Claudia, in Santa Barbara, Calif. She met someone at the Boys and Girls Club who lost her own hair after going through cancer treatments.

“I felt bad for people who didn’t have hair,” she said. “I’d seen commercials of kids who had to lose their hair because they had to do chemo.”

She floated the idea to her grandmother, Claudia, who helped her to research the requirements but also advised her to carefully consider what a commitment it would be. Hair grows back, but it takes time.

“I don’t think she was concerned with what she would look like after,” Claudia said. “She wanted to help someone have hair.”

Undeterred, Makaela asked her parents for permission.

“My dad said I could do it, and it would be a wonderful thing to do,” Makaela said.

A week later, she made her donation.

“I was amazed at her determination,” Claudia said. “My hair was long when I was a kid and it was the last thing I’d have ever thought to do.”

Though Lindsey never expected to hear that her daughter wanted to donate her hair, she said she wasn’t surprised by the sentiment behind the idea.

“When she sees somebody in need, she’s the first one to ask how she can help,” Lindsey said.

It’s been a big change for Mikaela, who’s never worn her hair so short. Hair that used to fall to her lower back now falls to her chin. She was used to pulling her hair into buns or ponytails for sports; now she leaves it down.

“I can still do a lot with it,” she said.

She’s already growing her hair out — but not for herself.

“I want to do it again,” she said.

A fifth-grade student at Skyway Elementary School, Mikaela said she has encouraged her friends to donate their own hair to children in need. She hopes kids and adults alike will consider donating to Locks of Love.

“Right after you do it, you feel great,” she said. “You’ll be really happy that you did it.”