Hair loss from chemotherapy can be
difficult for a young child or their classmates to comprehend, so in
a new book from the American Cancer Society, a young girl talks
about hair loss, hair donations, and the importance of giving to
others.
Emma Wheeler loves to spend time with her friends and classmates,
but there was a time in her life when she didn't like going to
school.
"It was just really embarrassing because people weren't able to
differentiate me from being a boy or a girl," Emma said.
She was only 5 when she was diagnosed with leukemia. She required
chemotherapy, and her hair fell out as a side effect.
According to the American Cancer Society, more than 11,000 children
will be diagnosed with cancer this year.
Teaching kids why their peers may lose their hair is a goal of
Emma's book, The Long and Short of It, in which Emma is a character.
"Not having hair is kind of the hallmark of being sick," said Dawn
Stys, Pediatric Oncology nurse.
Stys said how a child copes depends on his or her age.
"Your younger, school aged-kids deal with it right up front," she
said. "It's pretty traumatic when it does happen, but then they
adjust pretty quickly."
Stys sees its impact hit teenage girls the hardest.
"They're the most into their image, and obviously your hair, or hair
style, is such a big part of that, so it's really difficult," she
said.
Once Emma was well, she decided to grow her hair long to donate to a
charity that makes hairpieces for sick children.
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