GIFTS OF BEAUTY TEENS CUT HAIR TO AID PATIENTS.

Byline: Peggy Hager Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Two teenagers are helping cancer patients and children who have lost their hair.

Palmdale High School seniors Ingrid Clara and Diana Marmol are giving up their long hair - and hoping they can persuade at least 50 others to do the same - to be used in wigs for cancer patients. ``I'm going to miss it, but I know that it's going to go to a good cause,'' said Clara, 17, who has let her hair grow from shoulder-length to 20 inches long since ninth grade after hearing about an organization called Locks of Love. ``It's going to grow back, anyway, so I'm OK with cutting it.''

Locks of Love is a nonprofit organization that provides custom-fitted wigs for cancer patients ages 6 to 18.

Clara added: ``It's always better to give than to receive, and you're going to put a smile on someone's face. It's going to mean a lot, especially to girls, because they're bald, and they're walking around. They just want that hair. It's their self esteem that's going to (be boosted) when they get their wig and they see it for the first time. So it'll bring a big, big smile to their face.''

Marmol and Clara, both students in Palmdale High's Health Careers Academy, are also recruiting volunteers to donate bone marrow to people with cancer.

< In what they're calling a Hair-a-thon, hair will be cut to donate for wigs from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Letty's Beauty Salon, 2728 E. Palmdale Blvd., Suite 113.

Potential bone marrow donors will be blood-tested from 11 to 5 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Regional Occupation Program facility, 1156 E. Ave. S, Palmdale. If there is a match in blood type, a potential bone marrow donor will be contacted later.

Marmol's grandmother and great-grandmother both suffered from cancer. Marmol is president of the American Cancer Society club at Palmdale High, and Clara is a member.

``It's not that much we're contributing, but it's something we can do, and a little bit goes a long way,'' said Marmol. ``I've always thought about the idea of donating hair, so when Ingrid came up with the idea, I was all for it.''

The two girls plan to enter their projects for cancer patients in a Health Occupation Students of America competition in April.

``We think we have a pretty good chance of medaling,'' said Marmol, who competed last year.

Both teens plan careers in medicine.

Marmol hopes to be a general practitioner or a specialist in orthopedic sports medicine. Clara hopes to specialize in neonatal medicine.

``Before, I was thinking of going into oncology, but it was hard seeing children going through (cancer treatment),'' said Clara.

Clara has applied to the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, San Diego. Marmol is hoping to attend UCLA or the University of California at Berkley.

At the Hair-a-thon, information on Locks of Love and different types of cancer will be available.

Ponytails cut from six to 10 donors are need to make one wig, which can cost $3,000 or more.

Donors' hair will be cut in a simple straight way that they can have styled by their regular hair stylists.

Locks of Love organizers prefer donations of hair at least 14 to 16 inches long. Hair as short as 10 inches can be donated, but it will be sold to help offset the cost of making custom wigs with the longer hair.

Donors' hair should be clean, dry and bundled into a ponytail or braid. Wigmakers can use hair that has been colored or permed, but not bleached or chemically damaged. More information can be found at www.locksoflove.org.

Blood donors must be 17 or older and weigh at least 110 pounds. They can be contacted for marrow donations when they are at least 18.

Potential marrow donors will have their blood tested and results will be entered into a database to determine if there is a match with a cancer patient.

``It goes into a book, and if they find a match, they'll call you,''explained Clara.

For more information call Clara at [phone] or email IVClara2005(at)aol.com.

Peggy Hager, [phone]

Peggy.grimm-hager(at)dailynews.com

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2) Diana Marmol, above, and Ingrid Clara, right, both 17 and seniors at Palmdale High, show the silky tresses they are having cut. The hair will be donated to make wigs for cancer patients ages 6 to 18.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer