Cancer Society wig provider ending national hair-donation program

Pantene Beautiful Lengths, a program that has been taking hair donations and making wigs for the Canadian Cancer Society, will stop accepting donations at year's end.

Jayna Stokes, provincial lead with the society in P.E.I., says it's unfortunate to see the program — which provides the wigs to cancer patients for free — come to an end. She said that since the partnership began in 2007, approximately 70,000 ponytails have been donated by Canadians through the program.

"When we heard it we were disappointed," said Stokes. "But we also understand, and we're certainly grateful for all the years they were able to supply us with all the real-hair wigs."

On its website, Pantene Beautiful Lengths says although the program will stop accepting donated hair at the end of this year, it has amassed enough to continue making wigs for the society for the next four years.

Pantene Beautiful Lengths declined an interview for this story.

Synthetic wigs 'less expensive and easier to style'

Stokes said the end of the program boils down to a change in how wigs are made, and what some cancer patients now prefer.

"There's been some technology improvements in synthetic wigs," she said.

"It gives them that more real-hair feel to them, definitely created with lighter materials and they are cooler to wear and easier to style."

She said synthetic wigs are also less expensive to manufacture and buy.

Even with these advances, Stokes says there's still a demand for wigs made from real hair — and she hopes people who have donated their hair in the past, will look for new ways to do so.

Hair donor disappointed

Linda Martin, a four-time donor to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, is disappointed by the news because she doesn't believe synthetic hair can replace the personal connection that comes with donated human hair.

"I suppose the positives here may include an advantage to lesser-known organizations that might now receive more donations," said Martin.

"And be able to help more people who turn to them in need."

Martin sees her donations as a way of letting someone battling cancer know they are not alone.

"Even if you don't know somebody personally, you know somebody who does, and that just makes it so much more real," said Martin, who plans to continue donating her hair.

Seeking new partnership

The society is in the process of figuring out other options for partnerships.

For those wanting to help now, Stokes said financial contributions are always a welcome way to help the society buy and supply wigs to patients. And if you can't donate money, she said the organization can always use a hand.

"There's always lots of different ways you can volunteer your time," Stokes said.

"It can be just as meaningful to help in any way that we're looking for volunteers."

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