An 8-year-old Florida boy spent two years growing a long hairstyle to help kids suffering from hair loss, a common chemotherapy side effect among cancer victims. While growing the future cancer wigs he endured school bullying, "girl" name-calling, and financial incentives to get a haircut.
6-year-old Christian McPhilamy decided to stop getting haircuts for a good cause. He made the decision after seeing a 2012 Christmas ad for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. The TV commercial featured young patients suffering from cancer hair loss.
That was the end of McPhilamy's spiky hair. During the next two years he was often called a female, told he needed a haircut, and was even mistaken for a "beautiful girl" at a doctor's appointment.
McPhilamy recently donated four 10-inch blonde hair bundles to the American charity named Children with Hair Loss, according to Stuff. It gives free hair pieces to children with hair loss that is medically related, such as a chemotherapy side effect.
After McPhilamy got his long locks chopped last month, his proud mother, Deanna Thomas, made a Facebook post that praised her son's act of kindness. He had survived "an awful lot" of criticism.
She also mentioned the life-changing hospital commercial McPhilamy had seen.
Christian Wong, COO of Children with Hair Loss, said that seeing kids wanting to do good deeds is inspiring. She explained that boys only give 2 percent of the charity's donations, according to Today.
Thomas remembered that her son always stayed focused on his goal. He also educated others about why he let his hair grow out.
McPhilamy's cause for chemo hair loss was not his first charitable act. He also donates clothes and toys to needy children, and hides dollar bills in discount stores.
Thomas told Florida Today that she and McPhilamy's father try to teach their two children about "everybody helping everybody." Providing cancer wigs to treat a chemotherapy side effect is certainly one way to offer a helping hand--lesson learned.