Golden Eagles Donate Hair to the Beautiful Lengths Campaign

Feb. 8, 2008

Three members of the Marquette women's basketball team performed a selfless act of kindness Friday evening and donated eight inches or more of their hair to the Beautiful Lengths campaign. The Golden Eagles teamed with VICI Capilli Salons to make the cut.

Junior Kelly Lam, along with freshman Courtney Weibel shed eight inches of their hair in support of women who have lost their hair while fighting cancer. Redshirt freshman Jocelyn Mellen Mellen was able to donate nine inches because of the length of her locks.

All three student-athletes agreed that they were happy to be able to donate to a worthy cause and help other women who have lost their hair from chemotherapy to treat cancer.

"The best part about this is knowing we are helping others," said Lam. "I had a lot of hair coming in, and if I am able to help someone else that is why I am here. I can't imagine doing this by myself. All three of us were here supporting each other and that means a lot."

"It was fun to do this with Kelly and Courtney," added Mellen. "Having the personal connection we have and knowing how much it really does make a difference for a women to regain self confidence and self esteem makes me feel good."

Marquette is still looking for 10 volunteers to cut eight inches of their hair during halftime of the Golden Eagles' game against Seton Hall on Saturday, Feb. 16. Stylists from VICI will be on hand to make "the cut," and all participants will receive a free hair cut and style at the VICI salon in Brookfield.

MU is encouraging fans to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) "Think Pink" campaign.

For more information or to be a participant at halftime, please contact Jamie Hays at 414-288-6018 or by email at jamie.hays@marquette.edu.

About the Beautiful Lengths Campaign
A woman's healthy hair is an incredible instrument of self-expression, defining her self-image in a way that almost no other physical attribute can. So what does hair loss mean to a woman?

Hair loss can strike an especially crippling blow to women fighting cancer. In fact, a recent study revealed that nearly 60 percent of women consider hair loss the most dreaded side effect they face when undergoing chemotherapy. Eight percent of these women are at risk of avoiding potentially life-saving treatment. Real-hair wigs can cost as much as $1200 and are often only partially covered by health insurance.

Donating your hair is a heartfelt and life-changing act of women's cancer and breast cancer support.

The Beautiful Lengths wigs that are created and distributed for free through select American Cancer Society wig banks across the country.