AMY SZPARA

PHOTO 1: Left, a picture of LaPlace resident Jean Guidry, a cancer survivor, prior to having her hair cut short in order to donate to “Locks of Love,” a non-profit organization which provides children with cancer with free wigs made of human hair. Right, how Guidry, 28, currently looks after the haircut. LAPLACE – Rachel Madere, owner of Hair Designs by Rachel in LaPlace, became involved in “Locks of Love,” an organization that uses human hair to make wigs for children with cancer, four years ago when her daughter’s friend learned she had breast cancer. LaPlace resident Jean Guidry, now 28, battled breast cancer and thought she had won the fight, but learned this past October it was back. This time the cancer had gone to her spine, and even after back surgery to remove the part of her spine that held a tumor, she learned the cancer had moved to another area. The first time she had cancer, she lost all of her hair due to chemotherapy treatments, but this time she decided to have the long, thick strands cut and donated to children with cancer before it had a chance to fall out. “I’m starting chemo’ again,” she said. “It will fall out again. I thought that I would donate it to a child who can’t afford a wig.” PHOTO 2: Rachel Madere, of Hair Designs by Rachel, shows the collection of hair her clients have donated in the past year to “Locks of Love,” an organization that gives children with cancer free wigs. (Staff Photo by Amy Szpara) According to Guidry, the Arkansas-based organization gives the wigs free of cost to children who have lost their hair. She said most insurance companies will not pay for wigs for cancer patients as it is considered cosmetic. Guidry went to her hairdresser, Madere, last week to have her locks cut and given to a good cause. After Madere cuts the hair, she bags it according to color, and after she has collected enough, she sends it to “Locks of Love.” According to Madere, the hair has to be at least 10 inches long in order for it to be lengthy enough for a wig. “When Jean got sick the first time, and I saw how she had to go through wigs and go around with no hair, that’s when I began this. Now, when a customer comes in with beautiful hair, I ask them to give the gift of love,” said Madere. Madere has had about 15 people to donate their hair this year. “You can still have beautiful hair,” she said. “Men are even donating it, growing their hair long to donate it to a good cause.” Two of Guidry’s three daughters have donated hair to the cause as well. Amber, 10, and Ashley, 5, have both given their own hair to “Locks of Love.” Guidry’s youngest daughter, Courtney, 4, even understands what her mother and sisters are doing to help others. Guidry said the girls remember her losing her hair and are really proud of what they have done to help children with cancer. “We talk openly about it,” said Guidry. “They know all the possibilities of what could happen. We have our good and bad days.” Along with her husband Toby and the three girls, Guidry said she is doing much better than people would think. “I’m doing fine. I have a lot of faith in God. I have a lot of family, and they are actually doing fine, too,” she said. Guidry said she was surprised when she got the news the cancer had returned. “I was feeling fine,” she said, adding a scan revealed an abnormality that turned out to be a tumor. Of “Locks of Love,” Guidry said, “If anybody is considering cutting their hair, it’s a good cause. When I lost my hair the first time, I was devastated. That was the worst part of the cancer. This will make a child feel so much better. “A lot of people just cut their hair and sweep it away. It could be going to something so good.”