Short or long, thick or thin, voluminous or flat, or 8 inches exactly.

Cuts for Cancer is not only a Relay for Life fundraising event, but also a hair-raising one. The mission is to raise money for the American Cancer Society and collect hair donations that will be used to make wigs for cancer patients.

“We are taking a unique approach of fund raising through donations for services. It is a great thing, knowing that something as simple as hair can influence another person’s self-confidence and quality of life,” Bethany Sharpless, Relay for Life event chair said.

Cuts with hair donations will be free. All hair donations will be given to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, a national organization that gets real-hair wigs made for people undergoing chemotherapy.

Monetary donations will come from $8 haircuts of any length with no hair donation, $3 regular manicures, $5 relay ribbon manicures and two for $10 or $7 each for feather hair extensions. Men and women are welcome to get a haircut or manicure.

Don’t worry! This will not be the girl from your 9 a.m. class playing with scissors and nail polish. The Jolie Beauty Academy will be donating the services of 10 professional stylists to give hair cuts and manicures.

Cuts for Cancer participants will have access to these services at a very reduced rate, “all while learning about the relay mission,” Relay team Captain Katie Cirone said.

All funds donated to the American Cancer Society will be put toward cancer research in educational institutions and to provide services to cancer patients.

“In our local community, the ACS provides services such as free rides to treatment, support groups for patients and their families, classes to teach women how to care for their wigs and skin during treatment, and reduced-cost medications,” Sharpless said.

Some of Wilkes’ students, faculty and staff will be “Celebrity Donors,” who collect money during the event to fulfill a pledge to cut or shave their hair. According to the Wilkes News Archives, jars will be set up in the Henry Student Union Building with the donor’s name to collect funds. Donors can set the price they are willing to make the cut or shave. On the day of the event, if the level of donations is met, the donor can complete the pledge by shaving or cutting the pledged amount.

Cuts for Cancer is scheduled for 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, on the first floor of the SUB. Anyone who wants a regular haircut or hair donation cut can make an appointment with Jaimie Osborn, general assistant of student development, on the Cuts for Cancer Facebook, or the Today@Wilkes page.

“I think this event is going to be a great way for the campus to come together in supporting our friends, family and community members with cancer,” Sharpless said. “This is going to be a fun event that showcases the generosity of our campus and how easy it is to make a difference in someone elses life.”