During Pink October, a month dedicated to raising awareness about the prevention and early diagnosis of breast cancer, Adventist Education in northern Santa Catarina promoted the project "Locks with Passion." The initiative mobilized students and staff to help patients undergoing cancer treatment, encouraging the donation of locks of hair, scarves, and letters with messages of support.

The goal was to strengthen the self-esteem of women facing the disease. The actions took place in units of the Adventist Education Network in the cities of Joinville, Chapecó, Rio do Sul, São Francisco do Sul, and Indaial in Brazil.

Around 300 haircuts were performed, and the students donated their locks of hair during the “D Days,” resulting in the collection of a thousand locks of hair and 325 donated scarves, in addition to dozens of written letters. Since at least three locks of hair between 15 and 20 centimeters in good condition are needed to make a wig, it is estimated that the action will make it possible to produce more than 300 wigs for women who lost their hair during breast cancer treatment.

Awareness in Schools

The network's units set up collection points throughout the month, promoting events that encouraged community participation. The students also had the opportunity to cut their own hair during the events, which included lectures and educational activities to encourage the importance of empathy and mutual support.

Loren Dalfovo, mother of students at the Adventist College of Saguaçu in Joinville, has been undergoing breast cancer treatment for four years. She shared her life experience with the students, helping to demystify stigmas related to the disease. “I talk about how I discovered I had cancer and how I deal with it, showing that, even during treatment, it is possible to have a life full of meaning. It all starts with early diagnosis and a positive attitude,” said Dalfovo.

The principal of the Adventist College of Indaial, Rodrigo França, highlighted the schools’ preparation to welcome the students and the donations. “We created decorated and welcoming environments, with experienced and renowned hairdressers in each city who volunteered their time to make the students feel at ease. This encouraged not only donations but also learning about the power of collective cooperation,” he said. The Indaial unit was the one that collected the most donations during the campaign.

Ingrid Cristina, a student at the same school, highlighted the importance of this act of solidarity. “I am an athlete, and I have often seen friends of mine cutting off locks of their hair to make weight in competitions. I even thought about doing this if I needed to, but when I found out that the project would be carried out here, I didn’t think twice. I had wanted to donate and go through this experience for a long time,” she said after the haircut.

Community Impact

Representatives of the Women's Network to Fight Cancer, the institution that received the donations, reinforced the positive impact of the action. Vânia Pereira, who beat the disease in 2021, praised the initiative at the Adventist College in South San Francisco. “It's beautiful to see these kids mobilizing in so many places. This is a donation that makes all the difference,” she said.

For Professor Rérison Vasques, director of Adventist Education in the northern region of the state of Santa Catarina, the project reflects the values ​​promoted by the institution. “This initiative goes beyond the classroom. It teaches our students about empathy, altruism, and the impact of small gestures on the lives of others. It is an act of faith and solidarity that strengthens spiritual and social values,” he concluded.

At the end of the campaign, all donations were forwarded to the local units of the Women's Network to Fight Cancer, which was responsible for the logistics of making the wigs and distributing the items collected.

The original article was published on the South American Division Portuguese website.