Frequently Asked Questions

About Cuts for Cancer:
How can I help?
When and where is Cuts for Cancer this year?
What is the UBC Cancer Association?
What if I'm not a student at UBC?
I cannot come to the Cuts for Cancer event, but I live in BC and would like to donate my hair or make a donation.

About Hair:
Where does the hair go?
Can my hair stay in Canada?
Do I need 8" of hair?
My hair is layered and I think some parts of my hair are too short
Do I need to shave my head?
Are you shaving right to the skin?
My hair contains some grey and white. Is that acceptable?
Who is actually cutting the hair?
What is Angel Hair for Kids?
What is Locks of Love?
I want my own hairdresser to cut my hair
I don't have 8" to donate and I don't want to shave my head, but I really want to collect pledges and cut my hair really short!
Those of us donating our hair should wash it before we come, does this mean it should be wet?

About money:

Where does the money go?
Do I need to collect pledges?
What is the Canadian Cancer Society?

Other:

I cannot find the information I want, even in this FAQ listing.  How can I get answers?

How can I help?
Please see the Ways You Can Help page.

When and where is Cuts for Cancer this year?
Cuts for Cancer will be held will be Monday, March 10th, 2008 in the Main Concourse of the UBC Student Union Building from 9:30am to 4pm.  Here is a map of UBC.  You may register online for the event here.

What is the UBC Cancer Association?
The UBC Cancer Association was constituted in the summer of 2006 by the UBC Alma Mater Society (AMS). The Cuts for Cancer coordinators were students concerned with the lack of cancer-related support, awareness, and education on the UBC campus, especially since the UBC Cancer Society had become inactive.  The Cuts for Cancer committee created the UBC Cancer Association to run various events such as educational workshops, runs, and fundraisers.   Cuts for Cancer continues to be the biggest and the most important event for the association.

What if I'm not a student at UBC?
You do NOT have to be a student to participate!!! Just sign-up as a regular participant, print or pick-up your pledge forms, and come on March to get your hair cut/shaved!

I cannot come to the Cuts for Cancer event, but I live in BC and would like to donate my hair or make a donation.
Click here for information on how to donate hair or money through mail or online donation.

Where does the hair go?
Hair 10" or longer goes to Angel Hair for Kids, a non-profit wig manufacturing organization.
Hair less than 10" and at least 8" goes to Eva and Co., who provides wigs to low-income families at a discount.

Can my hair stay in Canada?
Yes!! Angel Hair for Kids and Eva and Co. are Canadian organizations.

Do I need 8" of Hair?
No!!! You can always "Shave in Support" - no matter what length of hair you have. However, in order to be used for wig, a minimum of 8" is required. Longer hair is always appreciated.
We also offer the option of simply styling your hair - which involves neither cutting 8" nor shaving.  For this, a minimum donation of $25 to the Canadian Cancer Society is required.

My hair is layered and I think some parts of my hair are too short
Hair less than 8 inches cannot be used. We recommend ensuring that the majority of the hair be more than 8 inches to maximize its usefulness.  If your hair will not be long enough by the event date and you would like to be sure that all of it will be used, you can always mail in your hair after it has more time to grow -- donations need not only come once a year!
Instructions on how to donate your hair on your own can be found here.

Do I need to shave my head?
Only if you want to! If at least 8" can be gathered without shaving, you do not need to actually shave. If you are "shaving in support" however, we ask that you actually shave it!! We will have professional hair-stylists for those who want to cut, but not shave.

Are you shaving right to the skin?
Technically, for safety reasons, we are buzz-cutting.  Many participants go on to shave further on their own though!

My hair contains some grey and white. Is that acceptable?
That's totally fine.

Who is actually cutting the hair?
On the Fringe Hair Design is a professional styling salon located in the basement of the UBC Student Union Building.  They graciously close their doors for one day every year in order to participate in this event, so we can assure you that you will not be walking out looking like your hair was hacked at with a lawn mower!  You are welcome to bring a picture of a hair cut you would like to have, keeping in mind that this is a charity fundraiser, and so complex hair styles may not be acceptable within the means and time limits of the stylists.

Where does the money go?
All proceeds go to the British Columbia and Yukon branch of the Canadian Cancer Society, where they are directed towards cancer research and patient support services.

Do I need to collect pledges?
Though pledges are not required, raising funds is one of the goals of the campaign. Any amount is accepted and generally, friends are quite receptive to the idea of supporting someone who is donating their hair! We do, however, ask that any volunteers "shaving in support" raise money for Cuts for Cancer.

What is Angel Hair for Kids?
Angel Hair for Kids is a Program of A Child's Voice Foundation that provides quality wigs and hair prostheses to financially disadvantaged children who have lost their hair as a result of chemotherapy treatments, radiation, burn accidents, Alopecia or other medical reasons.

What is Locks of Love?
Locks of Love is a non-profit organization in the USA that collects hair donations and manufactures wigs for children in need. The wigs are used for children who suffer from long-term medical hair loss, particularly those with the autoimmune disease Alopecia areata, for which there is no known cause or cure. About 15 ponytails are used to make one wig, which has a market value of $3000 (US). The prostheses help to restore self-esteem and confidence, enabling children to face the world and their peers.

What is the Canadian Cancer Society?
Please refer to the Canadian Cancer Society page.

I want my own hairdresser to cut my hair, but I would like to donate my hair.
Just have your own hairdresser put it in a ponytail (or several). However, hair off the ground etc. is unacceptable. Please put it in a plastic bag. You can either send it on your own (please click here for instructions on how to prepare your hair and where to send it to), or just bring it in on March 10th and we'll take care of it!

I don't have 8" to donate, don't want to shave my head, but really want to collect pledges and cut my hair really short!
YES that is ok, but you have to collect a minimum of ($25) in order for us to be able to give you the haircut in March . If you just want to collect donations for the CCS for us, that is great too!

Those of us donating our hair should wash it before we come, does this mean it should be wet?
Actually, we're hoping your hair will be dry. Mostly, we just mean that you should have washed it as close to your time as possible - for many people, that means in the morning before they head out to class, which is ok. We just don't want people coming in not having washed their hair since the night before.