WIIKWEMKOONG—Karleigh Kaboni had never had a haircut, but when the four-year-old learned that those battling cancer often lose their hair, she didn’t take long to make up her mind as to what she wanted to do—and there was no shaking her from it.
“I wanna give my hair to a little girl who doesn’t have any hair,” she told her mother Anna Kaboni. That set in motion a series of events that led to Karleigh sitting in a chair in front of an assembly of her peers at Wasse Abin Junior School with her mother wielding a pair of scissors behind her. Off to one side was a giant cheque for $1,584 representing the monies raised by her Karleigh4Kindness campaign.
Ms. Kaboni shared how her daughter had learned about cancer and like many four-year-olds she had a million questions. “We went online and I showed her a picture of women who had lost their hair because of cancer treatment,” said Ms. Kaboni. “She asked ‘little girls like me?’ I told her ‘Oh yeah, little girls like you.” From that moment forward Karleigh’s mind was made up.
photos by Michael Erskine
“I thought it was something that would pass,” said Ms. Kaboni. But days and weeks passed and Karleigh remained adamant. So, although she admits that the idea of her little girl losing her beautiful long braids left her with decidedly mixed feelings, Karleigh’s mother got on board with her child’s project.
“We went online and did research and discovered that some companies charge cancer survivors for wigs,” she said. Eventually, they came across the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program.
Founded in 2006, the Beautiful Lengths program is a partnership between Pantene and the Canadian Cancer Society. “The role of Pantene is to help women grow long, strong, beautiful hair and to provide the funds to turn this hair into free, real-hair wigs for women with cancer,” notes the program’s website. “So far, Pantene has donated 24,000 free real-hair wigs to the American Cancer Society’s wig banks, which distribute wigs to cancer patients across the country.”
On hand for the haircutting ceremony were Cathy Keaney Burns, community manager for the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) and Justin Burns, community fundraising specialist with the CCS.
“Karleigh is so young, so passionate,” said Ms. Keaney Burns. “It is amazing what she is doing here today.”
The fundraising component of the Karleigh4Kindness campaign raised funds from across the Wiikwemkoong community and beyond.
“Karleigh was at a birthday party of one of her friends,” recalled Ms. Kaboni. “That little girl took $20 from her birthday money and gave it to the campaign.”
“Not only has Karleigh donated her hair and raised a remarkable amount of money for cancer,” said Ms. Keaney Burns, “but she has also raised a lot of awareness in the community about the fight against cancer and how people can help.”
“On behalf of Karleigh and her family, we would like to say chi-miigwetch to the staff and students here at Wasse Abin Junior School, the Children’s Services Program and Kerry Assinewai from Naandwechige-gamig Health Services for assisting in promoting Karleigh4Kindness,” said Ms. Kaboni in her address to the school assembly. Ms. Kaboni also gave thanks to the Canadian Cancer Society representatives for coming and taking Karleigh’s hair to the Pantene program and to “Jean (Shawana) Simon for making Karleigh’s cut stylish.”
Ms. Kaboni also thanked the people who donated money “to the Cancer Society’s ‘Where it is needed most’ fund and to Karleigh’s aunts (Mona, Rachel, Batalie and Linda) for helping to collect pledges for her cause. To the Dillon Peltier Memorial Hockey Tournament for allowing us to sell 50/50 tickets.”
As for Karleigh, she took everything in stride as her mother snipped through her ponytail, which was then placed in a plastic baggie. Karleigh held the baggie through her haircut and the cheque presentation that followed
Asked where her hair was going, Karleigh smiled shyly and said “to a little girl who needs it.”
