Jaelyn’s Charity

It can be tricky for a child to grasp the concept of money and get excited about giving a monetary donation. With my four-year-old daughter, Jaelyn, I’ve been focusing on the social impact of helping others.

In November 2020, I noticed thinning in Jaelyn’s hair, near the crown of her head. Within a week, it was falling out in handfuls, so I contacted her pediatrician. They referred us to a dermatologist, but we had to wait two months for an opening and Jaelyn was completely bald by the time of our first appointment.

After months of appointments, phone calls, paperwork, referrals, and prescriptions, Jaelyn was diagnosed with Alopecia, an autoimmune disease. In addition to the emotional toll on our family, the financial impacts of appointments and treatments added a lot of stress. I truly underestimated the value of having a medical savings account set aside. Now, as part of my Project Money journey, I’m glad to have established one.

We’ve been seeing an out-of-network provider since February and Jaelyn has been prescribed up to five daily medications. At this point, her hair has regrown and fallen out three times. The University of Wisconsin Pediatric Dermatology team has been amazingly sympathetic and supportive, showering Jaelyn with compliments upon every visit. They referred us to the Positive Image Center at the American Family Children’s Hospital. Among other services, this hospital-based salon provides services and resources to help cope with hair loss and other appearance-altering illnesses or procedures.

Empathy begins developing around ages three to five so Jaelyn is the perfect age to begin understanding how other children coping with their own hair loss may be feeling the same way she is. We’ve been talking about ways that her donation to the Positive Image Center will support others, focusing on tangible aspects like the wigs, scarves, makeup, and temporary tattoos they provide. The organization accepts donations through Amazon, allowing Jaelyn to view and select specific items for donation. I also plan on cutting my hair and donating it to Crowns of Courage to make a halo wig, which is another easy way for Jaelyn to visualize the act of giving.

It’s too early to determine Jaelyn’s complete Alopecia story and there is still a lot of research to be done on the condition. For now, we will continue to be patient, take comfort in the fact that it’s not a life-threatening disease, keep a positive outlook and focus on things within our control.