Doctor Cuts Hair for a Good Cause

Shuchi Patel, MD, assistant professor of Ophthalmology, recently donated 10 inches of her hair to Locks of Love after growing it for three years. This is her second time donating to the organization, which is a non-profit that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada who are suffering from long-term hair loss.

The organization uses the donated hair to create the highest quality prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses provided by the organization help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence.

“It was nice to know that someone else would get something more out of it than I would,” Dr. Patel said. “I’ve tried to donate blood before, and for various reasons wasn’t able to, so I thought this was the least I could do. Hair grows back, so it was really no big deal for me, but hopefully it will be life-altering for the child who receives it.”

Dr. Patel plans to donate her hair again when it grows back. “I may wait for my hair to grow even longer, so it’s not so short when it’s all done,” she said.