Locks for charity weaved with compassion

The high shine of Angelina Rojan’s long straight black hair was a source of pride, carefully managed and maintained for more than 13 years. In that time, not one pair of scissors had gone near her locks. Before heading to class at Memorial Junior High School, her long strands were neatly woven into a single braid that ran past her waist.

That is, until just days shy of her 14th birthday, 22 inches of her hair was chopped off. For many, a dramatic hair transformation can be an emotional milestone to mark off a new chapter in a person’s life. But Rojan’s momentous haircut was not to make a statement about herself so much as to make a difference in the lives of others. Fulfilling the promise she had made to herself roughly three years ago, she donated her hair braid to Locks of Love, a non-profit providing hairpieces to children suffering from medical hair loss.

“She’s an incredible daughter with a heart of gold,” said Rojan’s mother, Angelica Rajaram, who says the organization, moved by Rojan’s gesture, has even expressed interest in featuring her on its social media platform.

“We were told the donated hair will help multiple cancer patients because of its high quality and length,” noted Rajaram. 

Rojan, who tends to shy away from the spotlight and avoids all social media, has been taken out of her usual element.

“My daughter is very shy,” noted Rajaram, and so the compassion she embodies is often expressed without notice, preferring to do her good deeds discreetly.

“Since she was a child, she’s been donating her toys, little by little, and more recently she’s joined me in volunteering at the Valley Stream Central Memorial PTSA,” said Rajaram who felt compelled to share her daughter’s story to hold her up as an example of someone who mustered her courage for others. 

“Her hair was part of her identity for so long that when she cut it off, it felt like a piece of her went with her,” said Rajaram. “She didn’t even want to touch it. I had to put it in a Ziploc bag.”

Teachers and students were stunned to see her new hair change as she had garnered a reputation as the girl with the long hair.

Despite parting ways with her long locks, Rojan plans to grow out hair again for charity. In the meantime, she’s enjoying seeing her reworked hair fall around her shoulders in a soft and wavy style and worn with newfound pride.