“I first started talking about it when I was three years old,” said kindergartner Victoria Theobald.  “I started hearing about it a lot.  I thought, well, they’re talking about it and might not do it…I could do it.”
And do it she did. 
The 6-year-old recently donated 12 inches of her long, chestnut hair to “Locks of Love,” a non profit organization that provides hairpieces to children suffering from long term or permanent medical hair loss. 
According to her parents, Chris and Joyce Theobald of Butler Township, Victoria was only a preschooler when this issue first caught her attention.  She and her father were watching a story on the “Locks of Love” organization on the news program “20/20.” 

The preschooler was curious and questioned her father.  Later, at the ripe old age of four, Victoria made the decision to grow her hair longer for the organization. 
“I’m going to donate my hair,” Victoria said a few days before her haircut.  “I think it will be a good experience.  Those kids that don’t have hair, they have to take medicine that makes the hair fall out.  That’s probably really sad.  Probably whoever gets this hair will be very happy.”
Victoria had been growing her straight brown hair for all of her young life.  By the time she was ready to make her donation, her hair had grown well past her small waistline. “We’re very proud of her,” said Victoria’s mom, Joyce.  “She’s giving up quite a bit.  She’s got about 12 inches that she can donate and still have a little bob.”
Nicknamed “Tory”, the youngster is a kindergarten student at Creative Learning Center at the Christian Life Center on Little York Road.  Her younger sister Sydney attends preschool. An active little girl, Victoria enjoys roller-skating, AWANA club, ballet and acrobatics.
“Locks of Love” receives over 2,000 hair donations through the mail each year.  80 percent of their hair donors are children.
The organization began in 1997 and has helped over 1000 children 18 and younger suffering from hair loss.  Medical issues can vary from severe burns, radiation treatment to the brain stem, to a condition called alopecia areata, an auto-immune disorder causing long term or permanent hair loss.
Children with financial need can be nominated to receive a hairpiece by parents, friends, or health care providers. 
Each hairpiece can take up to six month to prepare.  The result is a custom fitted wig made entirely from donated human hair.  A custom hairpiece would normally run between $3,500 and $6,000 retail.  Donated hair must be a minimum of 10 inches long and bundled in a ponytail or braid.  Up to 10 ponytails are needed to create one hairpiece.  The hairpiece shipped to a recipient is one length.  The child then has the wig cut in a style of their choosing at a local beauty salon.     
When Victoria’s big day arrived, Debbie Smith at Grand Central Salon on North Dixie did the honors.  Looking on were family friend Dianah Hurd and her daughters Kerri and Cassie along with a very proud mom, dad, and little sister Sydney. 
An inspired Sydney said, “I’m going to donate my hair too, when I get bigger,” she said.
Victoria was thrilled with her new look.  “When I go in to school tomorrow the kids are going to be surprised,” she laughed.  “My hair won’t be down to here, it will be up to here!”