When doctors warned Denise Lucas that the aggressive course of chemotherapy she was about to begin would damage her hair, instead of feeling sorry for herself, the Riverhead resident had an inspiration.
“I thought I might as well give it to someone else who could really use it,” Lucas said. “So I thought of Locks of Love.”
Locks of Love is a nonprofit organization that creates hairpieces for children who’ve lost their hair, usually due to a medical condition called alopecia areata. The condition has has no known cause or cure and the hairpieces help restore the kids’ self-esteem and confidence, according to the organization.
Donated hair must be at least 10 inches in length and Lucas, whose long mane stretched the length of her torso, figured she had more than enough to spare.
Lisa Pickersgill of Robert James Salon did the honors Tuesday, snipping a thick pony tail 15 inches long from Lucas’s head.
Pickersgill said she’s had lots of people come into the salon to get their hair cut for donation. But Lucas was the first donor to offer her hair before it was damaged by the harsh chemicals oncologists use to treat cancer patients.
“This was very unique, but that’s just the kind of person Denise is,” Pickersgill said. “She is very generous.”
Lucas, who was diagnosed with an abdominal cancer two months ago and had surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center last month, remains characteristically cheerful, optimistic and determined to make the best of the situation.
“You know what they say. When life gives you lemons…”
Lucas turned 47 on Christmas Day. She started chemotherapy and radiation treatments this week at Sloan, where she’s volunteered to participate in a clinical trial that requires her to spend more than six hours a day at the hospital’s Commack treatment center daily for several weeks.
“I hope that by participating in this, the doctors learn things that will help other people,” Lucas said.
The Riverhead Move the Animal Shelter founder said she’s not planning any fundraisers for her organization this winter because of her cancer treatments, but has already booked Splish Splash Water Park for the annual “Hogs and Hot Dogs Rock the Shelter” event April 12.
“I’m looking forward to it,” she said. “It’s a great event.”
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