Officer loses locks for cancer charity and GCWCC/United Way

Lynda Lee clips Lt Malory McDonald’s long locks before shaving her head during the Base Logistics Hockey Challenge at Wurtele Arena. Lt McDonald is donating her hair to CanDonate, a Quebec company that makes wigs free of charge for children who lose their hair during cancer treatment.

At the start of the Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign (GCWCC), Lt Mallory McDonald put forth a challenge to her colleagues at Base Logistics: raise more than $22,000 and she would cut off her long locks.

As the fundraising surmounted the goal by $1,500, she knew it was time to hear the snip of the scissors. But with a long mane of hair to lose, she thought of how to make good use of it once it left her scalp.

“I figured if I was going to shave it off, it had to be for a good cause,” says Lt McDonald. “I heard of people donating their hair to various organizations and I Googled hair donations in Canada and emailed a handful of them.”

She found CanDonate, a non-profit in Quebec that makes wigs free of charge for local children under the age of 16 battling cancer.

It takes 12 to 14 pony tails, which must be at least eight inches long, to make a wig, and the donors are encouraged to write letters to the children who will receive them.

“I think it’s great that CanDonate is making wigs for these children and I am happy to be a part of it,” she said.

Last week she proudly made good on her unit challenge, and a beautiful pony tail is now en route to Quebec.  

Shelley Lipke, Staff Writer