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All wigged out for cancer support

Three generations of men from the same family, who grew their hair out for over a year, donated their locks last week to a Vancouver business that provides wigs for cancer patients.

Three generations of men from the same family, who grew their hair out for over a year, donated their locks last week to a Vancouver business that provides wigs for cancer patients. Halfmoon Bay resident Jim Elliot, 70, along with his son and grandson who are both named James, aged 40 and 11 respectively, began growing their hair after Jim learned about Eva's wig shop.

"They spend 15 hours a week making wigs for people who have lost their hair because of chemotherapy treatments," Jim said. "The majority of the wig recipients are children."

Jim has spent a lot time this year with a friend who underwent a mastectomy and is now more aware of how stressful a life-threatening illness can be. He said there is enough trauma going on in a sick person's life that they should not have to worry about how people will react to their appearance. "They don't want a conversation centered around their baldness," Jim said. "It's a traumatic thing, especially for kids, to lose their hair."

James and his son travelled to the Coast from their home in North Vancouver on March 13 to meet Jim for the haircut at the Creek Salon in Roberts Creek. Jim's hair was approximately seven inches, while the younger James' hair measured in at just over six inches and James Sr. didn't quite make the wig requirements, as the length of his hair was just shy of the six-inch mark. "My hair has always been long," Jim said. "It just seemed to grow. My grandson has curly hair so he had a nice do going there for a while. He was slightly reluctant to get into the chair, but the stylist was able to talk him through it."

Jim said the experience was rewarding for his family because they recognize it might help another person who is going through a tough time. "It's little things like this that don't cost anything but can really help other people," Jim said.