Salk Middle School Students Cut Hair for a Cure

In addition, over a dozen boys volunteered to have their hair buzzed in support of the school’s initiative, which was called “Cutting for a Cure.” All of the donated hair was utilized to make human hair wigs for women with cancer.

Under the direction of teacher Nara Denson, the students had grown their hair during the past two years with the knowledge that the mass cutting would take place this June. The students became even more motivated after a popular teacher, Angela Sposato, was diagnosed with lymphoma, resulting in chemotherapy treatments.

Fellow classmates cheered for the volunteers, who gathered in the school gymnasium and donned pink T-shirts designed with a breast cancer symbol of braids of hair. Local hairstylists waited on the sidelines, not only to help make the initial cut, but to style the students’ hair free of charge. Many of the students invited important people in their lives or family members battling cancer to cut the students’ ponytails. 

During her opening remarks, Ms. Sposato told the students that she was devastated when she lost her hair during chemotherapy treatment and that the wig of real human hair brought her confidence back. 

“Every time I looked in the mirror,” she said, “the image of cancer was erased and was replaced by a person that was going to battle the ultimate fight of her life to be amongst her Salk family when treatments were finally over.”

Assistant Principal Patrick Mulligan explained that the initial volunteers were so influential that many students who had not registered to have their hair cut reached for their cellphones, asking for permission from mom or dad to donate hair. 

“It was so wonderful to see this outpouring of support,” he said. “These students are exceptional.”