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June 7, 2022
Though six-year-old Evelyn competes in ice skating competitions and took center stage at America’s Beauty Show this spring to show off her hand-tied hairpiece from Wigs For Kids, she says she doesn’t feel like a star. But she should.
Evelyn, along with her father Chris and mother Tara, is helping raise awareness about alopecia—an autoimmune disorder that causes your hair to fall out—and has become an inspiration to others.
“We noticed Evelyn had patches of bald spots when she was a baby,” says Chris. “But when she was three years old, her hair grew and for the first time, she had a full head of curly hair. Unfortunately, a year later after she got the flu, it flared up her immune system and she started to lose her hair again. And by age five she was almost completely bald.”
Looking for resources to help her daughter, Chris found Wigs For Kids online when researching kids with hair loss.
“When Evelyn was getting ready to start kindergarten, we wanted her to get off to a good start and didn’t want her to feel bad about her hair loss,” says Chris. “My wife and I always said it was her decision if she was going to wear a wig or not, but we wanted to give her that option if she wanted to.”
After Evelyn qualified for the Wigs For Kids program, the family who lives in a southwest suburb of Chicago, found a stylist nearby so they did not have to drive into the city.
Wigs For Kids trained Certified Service Provider Stephanie Henson, who is director of Professional’s Choice Hair Design Academy in Joliet, took measurements, showed hair color options, and guided the family through the wig recipient process. “We often recommend that children choose a color that will blend with their natural hair color so it looks more natural when their hair, as well as eyebrows and eyelashes, start to grow again,” says Stephanie.
In consultation with Stephanie, Evelyn chose a beautiful, light brown color. “Evelyn is the sweetest young lady and was overjoyed by the way the wig fit and how it looked on her,” says Stephanie.
At home, Evelyn has fun curling and styling her wig, which has long, straight strands of human hair. “I am happy that she doesn’t have to miss out on being able to style her hair like other girls,” says Chris.
A typical kindergartener, Evelyn is always on the go playing t-ball, basketball, and soccer, as well as ice skating. And sometimes on the weekend takes a break to watch one of her favorite cartoons, Hansel and Gretel.
“Since Covid shut down most team activities the past couple of years, Evelyn was able to take one-on-one private skating lessons and it has now become her and sister Cora’s passion,” says Chris.
“I feel really pretty when I wear my wig,” says Evelyn. “I like to look fancy.”
For more information on helping the children, like Evelyn, served by Wigs For Kids, please visit:
WigsForKids.org
Minka is 8 years old and in the second grade. She begin to experience hair loss at the age of 7 months old. Minka’s hair loss is caused by an auto-immune disease called alopecia. Minka can often be found gliding on the ice — this young girl is an accomplished figure skater, winning first place […]
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Cara was diagnosed with Alopecia Universalis when she was four years old. At the beginning she wore a hat to conceal her hair loss. Years later Cara’s mom learned about Wigs for Kids through a support group, and Cara received her first wig at the age of eight. Cara is now ten years old and […]
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Emily first became part of the Wigs for Kids family when she was nine years old. She was diagnosed with alopecia. Initially Emily had bald spots the size of a quarter and by the age of 12 and in the sixth grade, she had lost all of her hair. Emily was fitted with a hairpiece […]
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