November 13, 2013

Zichron Menachem– the Israeli association for the support of children with cancer and their families – set a Guinness World Record for donating the most hair to cancer victims in a single day drive. Some 250 women – some of them cancer survivors – cut 53.1 kilograms (117 lbs) of their locks for wigs for cancer patients.

The previous record was 48.7 kilograms (107 pounds).

Zichron Menachem hair donation.

Zichron Menachem joined forces with the Pantene Products Israel (part of the Pantene Beautiful Lengths campaign) for the three-day drive – but broke the world record on its first day and in just five hours. The hair drive is nonetheless still underway, with organizers hoping to collect as much hair as possible to be used for wigs.

“In order to make a child with cancer feel as normal and beautiful as possible, the goal is to fashion a wig that looks exactly like his/her hair. The child’s head is measured, and the wig is constructed from hair that is the closest match to his own,” reads the Zichron Menachem hair drive mission statement. “A curly-topped kid wants curls. A girl with red braids wants red braids. A teen with frizzy brown hair still wants…frizzy brown hair, even if she’s always complained about it!”

Some 200 hair salons across Israel took part in the benefit.

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