Valley non-profit sees opportunity to help young cancer patients during the heat wave

They are plenty of ways to beat the heat this summer, but a local non-profit believes this heat wave can help them provide some relief for young cancer patients.

"We've," said Jessica Rinehart, co-founder of Crowns of Courage, an organization that provides wigs made out of real hair to children who have lost their hair to chemotherapy.

Rinehart said the heat wave is keeping them very busy, as it means more people are getting their hair cut.

For the other founder of Crowns of Courage, Rachel Semro, the cause hits close to home. She began making the wigs when her daughter, Ashlyn, was diagnosed with cancer, and lost her hair during chemotherapy.

"It just made her feel normal, allowed her to be around her friends and go around to her activities and not feel attention being drawn to herself," said Semro. She went on to say her daughter would wear her "Crown" all the time, and that most people couldn't tell it was a wig.

Now, Rinehart and Semro want to bring that same feeling to other child cancer patients in the Valley.

"Some children have said they fell like a princess again, now that they've gotten their hair back," said Rinehart. "Our hope is that it provides them confidence and the hope to get through a difficult situation."

The wigs are offered, free of charge, and more than three dozen have been handed out, so far.

Crowns of Courage
http://crownsofcourage.com/