Cerritos College student carries out hair cut event to benefit women with cancer

Cerritos College student carries out hair cut event to benefit women with cancer

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 3, 2012

Media Contact:Aya Abelon, Public Affairs; (562) 653-7878

NORWALK, Calif. - May 3, 2012 - Cerritos College hosted the 2012 Pantene Beautiful Lengths event on April 30. Beautiful Lengths is a national charity campaign created by Pantene in partnership with the American Cancer Society which encourages individuals to grow, cut, and donate their healthy hair to create real-hair wigs for women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment.

All individuals who donated their hair received a free hair makeover as a way of showing appreciation and gratitude for their donation. A total of 89 donations were received and will be mailed on May 14.

The event was coordinated by Nallely Badillo, political science student at Cerritos College, who lost her grandfather in a fight with cancer. When she decided to grow her hair and donate, it sparked and inspired the entire event.

"I was surprised how successful it went. I had expected around 25-35 donors and I ended up collecting 89 ponytails," said Badillo. In addition, she thinks that she gained good experience from the event.

"I did various things that I didn't think were possible. I found out I have very good people skills. Now I know that I organized and promoted an event, it will be useful in the future."

The event was made possible thanks to sponsors and volunteers: the Cosmetology Department, MARS Printing, Sterling Designs, Shannon Brower and Claudia Tejada from the Loft on Broadway in Long Beach, Gabrielle Martinez, Jason Moats and Armando Venegas.

Nearly 774,370 American women will be diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and one in three women will develop some form of cancer in her lifetime. These statistics make it abundantly clear that cancer will affect each and every one of us in some way. Hair loss, one of the most common side effects of cancer treatment, can be especially traumatic for women fighting cancer. That is why in support of this campaign, Cerritos College has volunteered to play an important role in this charity campaign.

Badillo is currently looking for volunteers/donations to help ship them off to the Beautiful Lengths Program headquarters. Those who are interested may call 562-653-7878.

Those who wish to donate hair, the Cosmetology Department works closely with the "Locks of Love" drive on a year round basis. Call 562-467-5047 for more information.

Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college's districtinclude Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, SantaFe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 180 areas of study in nine divisions. Annually, more than1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently averages 23,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online athttp://www.cerritos.edu/.