Ten-year-old McKena Parker was at Hair Central Friday morning to have her long hair cut and donated to Wigs for Kids (wigsforkids.org). McKena is a fifth grader at Ellinwood Grade School.

She is the daughter of Dustin and Jenny Parker, and granddaughter of Barry and Diane Parker and John and Sherry Stettinger.

McKena’s grandmother, Diane Parker, cut 12 inches off of her hair for the donation.

When her mom asked McKena why she wanted to donate her hair, she recalled the first time she saw a cousin who had lost his hair during his battle with cancer. “It made me sad,” she said. “So that made me want to grow my hair out and cut it so kids can have hair again. I’m donating my hair in honor of Dan.”

“McKena has a heart of gold and is always willing to be the first to help people,” her mom said.

Wigs for Kids is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and monetary donations are tax deductible. According to its website, Wigs for Kids is a cooperative effort among certified cosmetic therapists throughout North America who share a common goal. “Children shouldn’t have to worry about how they look, especially when they’re in the middle of a health crisis,” says Certified Cosmetic Therapist Jeffrey Paul. “We want to give these kids the opportunity to feel good about themselves again.”

The value of the Hair Replacement Systems Wigs for Kids provides is approximately $1,800. “These are custom-made Hair Replacements,” says Paul. “Each prosthesis is hand-tied and is made completely from human hair. We make sure they look just like a child’s own hair.

“They won’t come off on the baseball field or in the playground,” he adds. “Kids can count on them. And because kids look just the way they did before, they feel better about themselves. They look in the mirror and their eyes light up. To see that light in their eyes – that’s priceless.”