I have always dreamed since I was little, that I could laugh about my condition. Not to make fun, just to have a laugh. To sit in the presence of others with my condition, and bond over something as simple and awesome as a laugh. I have dreamed that I could help change the way people view and treat Alopecia. My dream is slowly coming true with every get together, as I sit back and watch women (strangers minutes before) laugh and share courageous stories about themselves. I love to hear other women’s stories, and I appreciate that everyone needs each other as much as I need them. I am humbled to know that I have brought them all together.

Last night we welcomed two new ladies into our group, and they were instant friends. After everyone left and I was on my way home, I thought “Wow, all of these ladies are each awesome and so unique.” Every one of us brings something different to the group, yet we are all the same in each other’s presence. It’s awesome to be a part of this great group. I feel as though I can take down some of the barriers I have in myself, and just ‘BE’. I can relax and not have to worry if the person sitting beside me notices that i’m wearing a wig. I can open up about things bothering me, that only a few people could understand…..my Alopecia friends.

I cannot wait for future get together’s, and to meet many new women. It’s all so exciting!

http://www.thebrightersideyyc.com/

It’s a love/hate I have with my hair. Born with what I called Orange hair, it wasn’t easy growing up with this unique “gift”. Sure, as an adult it’s great. Having hair that everyone says they wish they had. Oddly enough people seem to be a bit intimidated by a red head, which always drove me crazy. Some didn’t even give me a chance to be nice, thinking I was just a “feisty red head”. But as a child it really was something I had to grow to love.

But not only did I have red hair, but I had A LOT of it. It wasn’t easy to manage. Especially because I wanted to have it long. I HATED to wash it and comb it. (Not much has changed today… I still hate the process of “doing” my hair.) And as I got older, it was just BIG hair. Curly, big, red hair. Who wants that? No one when you’re 7, 13 or even 18. I did cut it a few times, only to just grow it back out. I don’t know why I bothered with the process. I think it was because people always convinced me that I had great hair. Adults did anyway. Not the kids. I was often teased, or made fun of because of my hair. Not so much for the color, but for the “rats nest”. I really hated to comb it. It was just a lot of work for a lot of grief. It wasn’t until after I graduated that I figured out how to straighten it properly, AND dye it blonde. After dying it blonde I met a whole new world of people. People approached me more and talked to me more. But why? I was the same person, just a different color of hair. But was I? Maybe I was different being a blonde. Maybe I had more confidence being a blonde. Maybe it was me!! I felt more confident when I chose the color of my hair, and didn’t have to deal with the grief red hair gave me. I stayed a blonde for a long time, from 21 through to my early 30′s. Only to wake up one day saying, are you kidding me, I DO have great hair. But I had to overcome the obstacles I placed in front of myself when dealing with my own self esteem. I still dye my hair blonde from time to time because I like how it looks, and eventually grow it back out to being a red head again. Except this red head is more confident in who she is and doesn’t let anyone dictate on how she should look and act.

But more recently, I realized how important my hair is. It’s a part of me, and a part of who I am. I still straighten it and highlight it. But I now realize I was given a beautiful gift. I have hair. I can grow it, and cut it. I can straighten it and curl it. I can put it up or braid it. But not everyone has that luxury. As a child, I never knew anyone with Alopecia. Alopecia is an auto-immune disorder that affects people with various degrees of hair loss. Even children are affected by Alopecia. I wonder if my hair “issues” would have been such a big deal when I was younger if I knew anyone with Alopecia?

But today I do. Her name is Vanessa McWilliams and she is the owner of Confident Curls Mobile Wig Boutique. She has educated me on her story and what Alopecia is. She is a wig wearing woman who helps women and children wear wigs. I had flashbacks of my childhood when I heard her story. I felt sick to my stomach that I even complained about my God given gift. But at the time, they were my real issues, and I overcame them. And now, I have the opportunity to give that gift to other children. I’ve been growing my hair now for 2 1/2 years to donate it to the Confident Curls Hair Raising Gala, March 1st at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino.

Thank you Vanessa for making me feel beautiful everyday ~ no matter what style or color of my hair. Vanessa is truly and amazing woman. Her heart is gold and she has a passion to making every woman and child feel beautiful. Thousands of children in Canada suffer from the life-altering effects of medical hair loss from cancer treatments, alopecia, burns, scalp trauma and surgery. And through this Hair Raising Gala, money and hair donations will support Angel Hair and the Kids Cancer Care Foundation. By providing a small gift of a wig, Angel Hair for Kids Program aims to help these children regain a sense of self-confidence and some normalcy as they struggle with the daily trials of living with hair loss.

My childhood was a stereo-typical childhood filled with Kool-Aid, Slip & Slides, Camping and tobogganing…..I was blessed to have what one would call a ‘normal’ childhood. I remember swimming lessons, and always hating to have to have a bone cold shower afterwards to get all the chlorine out of my hair. I vaguely remember my mom brushing my damp hair before bed, and putting it into a scrunchie so that I had wavy hair in the morning. I remember the smell of my freshly shampooed hair after my mom would blow dry it, and never being allowed to go outside with wet hair, or I’d ‘Catch a cold!’

I also remember the day my mom found my first bald spot on the top of my head.

I look back at pictures of my very first haircut at 1 years old, and more pictures of my gorgeous brunette hair as I grew into a toddler, and then a young girl. I look back at pictures of myself and it seems that between the ages of 9-12 there aren’t many pictures of me, or the ones that there are, are sad and hidden poses of me.

I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease called Alopecia shortly after my hair started to randomly fall out in patches on my scalp. At first, we were not alarmed (at least I wasn’t, I’m sure my mom was more concerned then she led on). This was the beginning of a very different life then I was used to. Within 2 years all of my hair had fallen out and I was left with ‘baby fine hairs’ that to this day grow to an inch or two and fall out. Constantly repeating itself.

I always remember feeling never good enough, never as pretty as the other girls, even at a very young age. I started to feel ugly and began wearing hats, and as I grew up I started wearing baggy jeans and oversized hoodies. I was very aware at a young age how much hair was a defining part of who you were, as I watched my mom style her hair in the same way every morning. I was teased daily for not having hair and one day decided that I would do anything to get back to normal, so we decided to buy my first wig. This was nothing like I hoped for, expected or wanted. The wig was way too big, heavy and had way too much hair for a 12-year-old child. This just fueled the teasing even more. My parents only wanted the best for me, and didn’t know what to do. I stopped wearing wigs for a couple of my teenage years, and opted to go au-natural, even with my teenage bravery I barely made it out of Jr. High and High School alive.

It wasn’t until I was about 16 years old that I really started to notice all of my friends talking more about their hair….trying new styles and colors. I remember one year, almost everyone had the ‘Rachel’ haircut from the TV Show ‘Friends’. I cute little bob in brunette with blonde highlights. I remember really starting to feel the need to have my hair back around this time. I wanted to talk about the same things, and it seemed like life revolved around boys, our first jobs, boys, makeup, boys and well…. Hair.

I started looking into my wig options again at 16 years old and came to learn that in the short 5 years, Wigs had come a ways into the younger styles. I was in luck! They weren’t the coolest styles, but at least it wasn’t horrid. I remember the feeling I had in the pit of my stomach when I walked into school again with hair. We had bought it over the summer and thought that with having a break, the transition would be easier. I was wrong. Kids pulled my wigs off, they still teased me and the little bit of self-confidence was killed.

Boys picked on me while all of my friends had boyfriends. I had a few close friends, lots of friends that grew up with me in school, and even to this day I think of how many of them dropped off over the years. A few, including my best friend stuck by me, and always tried to keep me included. I always hated when we would get together to go to a movie or out for dinner and all of my friends would be sitting around on the floor with little mirrors trying to get their hair styled perfectly (in case we ran into our Prince Charming). All while I sat on the bed or couch and waited…. patiently, usually annoyed because I would have killed for BAD hair let alone decent or great hair. It always made me wonder why on earth would someone fret over one or two strands of hair that just wouldn’t stay put? I never understood and I probably never will.

Now, I have much more self confidence in who I am, and I have chosen to wear wigs during the day while out running errands or out with friends. It will never be the same as my own real hair, but it makes me feel put together, sexy and I hate to say it….but normal. I can blend in with everyone else at the grocery store and focus on my children. I can sit and be engaged in a conversation while out with my husband or friends without feeling like a million eyes are on me. I don’t have to worry about my kids seeing people stare at me, or approach me and ask how my treatments are going. I like to use my own discretion when I tell people about my hair loss; I am still guarded when it comes to telling someone about my Alopecia because of all the teasing growing up. I’m getting better and my goal is to be a stand up advocate for women and children dealing with my same issues every day.
It’s amazing that Hair, something that’s dead and is mostly a nuisance can have such an impact on someone’s morning, day, month (ever had a really bad haircut?) or life.

Hair is Hair, but to some people it’s quality of life.

~ Vanessa McWilliams ~

Join us at the 1st Annual Hair Raising Gala.

Hair Raising Gala 2013
Confident Curls is proud to support the
Kids Cancer Care and Angel Hair Foundations by hosting the
1st annual “Hair Raising Gala”
March 1st, 2013 at the Deer Foot Inn & Casino.
Our goal is to raise $100,000 and donate 100 ponytails.

Confident Curls is proud to support the Kids Cancer Care and Angel Hair Foundations by hosting the
1st annual “Hair Raising Gala” March 1st, 2013 at the Deer Foot Inn & Casino.

Thousands of children in Canada suffer from the life-altering effects of medical hair loss from cancer treatments, alopecia, burns, scalp trauma and surgery.

By providing a small gift of a wig, Angel Hair for Kids Program aims to help these children regain a sense of self-confidence and some normalcy as they struggle with the daily trials of living with hair loss. Angel Hair for Kids 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 medical conditions or treatments.

Cancer is the number one cause of death for children from six months to young adulthood. This year alone, 110 families in Alberta will hear this diagnosis and be thrust into the frightening world of childhood cancer. The Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta (KCC) is passionately dedicated to helping young people and their families affected by childhood cancer survive and thrive in body, mind and spirit. Our programs are uniquely designed to meet the needs of the whole family in each stage of the cancer journey, from diagnosis through treatment and beyond. And YOU can help!