Local girl gives up her hair
for a worthy cause

Eight-year-old Lauren Rouleau prepares to have her 12-inch long hair cut off at Tres Belle A Salon, to be given to Wigs for Kids, who provide wigs at no cost to children who have lost their hair.

By Monica Woolard

Eight-year-old Lauren Rouleau recently got a haircut. But this was no ordinary haircut.

When she cut off over 12 inches of her hair, she had a plan to help sick kids who have lost their hair by donating her cut hair to Wigs for Kids. This story has another twist, however, because in the first 18 months of her life, Lauren had numerous brain surgeries, and a shaved head.

Lauren was born with hydrocephalus - an abnormal build-up of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain. At ten days old, she had her first surgery to drain the fluid. At the age of one month, she had surgery to insert two shunts that would carry the extra fluid to other areas of the body to be absorbed.

After an MRI, a tumor was discovered, so she underwent a craniotomy at the age of 2-1/2 months old to biopsy the tumor. The tumor was benign, was not seen as a threat to her health, so was not removed.

The following year, she had surgery to insert a third shunt, got a staph infection, and had to stay in the ICU for 21 days. Another surgery followed to remove the shunts, and she now has only one shunt. Because of the hydrocephalus and all the fluid pushing on her brain, Lauren does have some physical disabilities including having to wear braces on her feet.

“She’s a child with physical disabilities stemming from numerous brain surgeries,” said her mom, Lisa. “She is extraordinarily bright, but her math skills and short-term memory have also been affected.” Lisa goes on to say, “So, when you see Lauren first hand, you see a child with physical disabilities and you assume mental delay, which is not the case. All the brain procedures have affected her social capabilities. Everything she knows socially, she has had to be taught. It does not come naturally to her.”

Lauren has enjoyed being able to grow her long, beautiful hair for many years, not wanting to cut it after having it shaved so many times. Her hair had gotten so long, however, that it was beginning to be a problem, and they decided they would have to cut it.

“I wanted to donate my hair to Wigs for Kids because kids have lost their hair from medicines,” Lauren said.

For the full story, please see the November 27, 2002 issue of
The Derby Weekly Informer!