LOCKS OF LOVE
SON MAKES A WIG FOR HIS MOTHER Now, Shaha has a piece of her son to take everywhere with her beautiful new tresses. “The color is spectacular, and we had it cut and styled with a hairdresser. Matt said it looked great on me. It sure fills your emotional cup,” Shaha says.
Melanie Shaha is currently fighting her third brain cancer battle. For 15 years, she’s been suffering from a benign tumor on her pituitary gland. Although she doesn’t mind being sick, going to her appointments, focusing on her treatment, and talking to loved ones about her cancer, she doesn’t like looking sick. If you didn’t know Shaha, you wouldn’t realize she was battling cancer. But this suddenly changed once she lost all of her hair. She had two surgeries, in 2003 and 2006, in hopes of removing the tumor on her pituitary gland, but they weren’t successful. Then, when she began radiation therapy in 2017, the treatment caused her hair to fall out. “Not having hair [makes] you stick out like a sore thumb, and well-meaning people can say things that break your heart,” Shaha told TODAY. She didn’t like all the attention and
the looks people gave her in public. So, her 27-year-old son Matt had an idea. At first, Matt joked about cutting all of his hair off to make his mother a wig. But the joke soon became a plan, and Matt followed through in 2018. After graduating from college, Matt began growing his hair out. In no time, he had long and luscious hair. His mother tried to dissuade him from cutting it, but
If you — or someone you know — would like to donate your hair to cancer patients, you can donate to Locks of Love, Wigs For Kids, Chai Lifeline, and Children With Hair Loss. Research donation centers in your area if you would like to give back locally.
Matt wanted to help her feel confident and comfortable in her skin. So, he chopped it off and sent his locks to Compassionate Creations, a hair company in Newport
Beach, California, that created a wig for his mother.
HELP TO MAKE THE SEASON BRIGHT Tampa Toys for Tots Creates Happy Holidays
Most of us who celebrated Christmas as children have fond memories of running toward the tree to unwrap our gifts on Christmas morning. But sadly, that’s not the case for everyone. Due to poverty, some people never have the opportunity to experience that holiday magic for themselves. But for decades, Toys for Tots has worked to fill the gap and help parents create the memories their children deserve. Marine Toys for Tots began in 1947 when Diane Hendricks asked her husband, Marine Corps Reserve Major Bill Hendricks, to donate two dolls she had made to an organization supporting needy children. The only problem was that Bill couldn’t find such an organization. When he informed Diane, she
responded pragmatically, “Start one!” Maj. Hendricks and his fellow Marines collected 5,000 toys for children in Los Angeles that first year.
The program went national in 1948 and has come a long way since then. Toys for Tots now distributes approximately 18 million toys to 7 million children each year. The program runs on local campaigns in every state, totaling around 800 annually. Community members’ efforts make Toys for Tots a success by organizing, collecting, and distributing Christmas gifts. The same is true here in St. Pete. Tampa Toys for Tots runs every year to help families nearby. In 2021, they distributed 57,813 toys and supported 27,613 children. The goal is to provide one large and small present to each supported child. And to make the biggest impact in 2022, the organization needs the entire community’s help. Visit Tampa-FL.ToysForTots.org for more information about drop-off locations where you can bring a new, unwrapped toy for a child in need. If you’re unsure what toy to buy, you can make a financial contribution so the organization can purchase gifts directly. Toys for Tots also constantly needs volunteers to staff their warehouses and transport the toys. And if your family needs assistance this year, you can apply on the website for support from the organization. As simple as it may be, a toy on Christmas morning provides hope to countless children and lets them know they are loved. We encourage you to participate in whatever way you can to make the season merry and bright for the kids in our community.
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