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 Hi!! My name is Melaina. I am 5 years old. I
am a perfectly healthy vibrant little girl. In January 2009 my mommy
found a bald spot on the back of my head. She took me to my
pediatrician and the doctor looked into his medical textbook to find out what
the problem could be. After sending me for lots of bloodwork we ruled
out any sickness thankfully. What we did find out is that I have
something called "Alopecia." Within 3 months I lost all of my
hair, my eyebrows and eyelashes. By my 3rd birthday I was completely
bald, but still as healthy as could be!! In August my hair started to
grow back and my family and I were so excited!! In October, I got a
cold, which turned into bronchitis and the hair I had regrown fell completely
out. Since October 2009 I have lost all of my hair again. I know
that I am beautiful because my mommy, daddy and 7 year old sister tell me
every day!! What is hard is when adults and children stare at me....it
makes me feel very sad like there is something wrong with me. My mommy
has taught me that people are staring at me because they are interested in me
but it is still hard. When adults and children ask why I don't have any
hair, my mommy always says that it's like I'm allergic to my hair. A
lot of people think that I have cancer and am going thru treatment but luckily
that is not the case at all!! Please support my fundraiser "Mutts
Making Money for Melaina" so we can hopefully find a cure for this
unexplained condition.
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 Please join us on
September 25th, 2011 to raise money for the Children's
Alopecia Project (CAP) www.childrensalopeciaproject.org
CAP, headquartered in Wyomissing, PA is devoted specifically to children living with the incurable
autoimmune hair loss disease, Alopecia. The Mission of the Children's
Alopecia Project (CAP) is to help any child in need who is living with hair
loss due to all forms of alopecia. We build self-esteem, provide support and
raise awareness. We would like our CAP Kids to grow in confidence and become
stronger teens and productive adults, maybe even the advocates of the future
dealing with alopecia.
What is
Alopecia? Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune skin disease
resulting in the loss of hair on the scalp and elsewhere on the body. It usually
starts with one or more small, round, smooth patches on the scalp and can
progress to total scalp hair loss (alopecia totalis) or complete body hair
loss (alopecia universalis).
Alopecia areata affects approximately two percent of the population overall,
including more than 4.7 million people in the United States alone. This
common skin disease is highly unpredictable and cyclical. Hair can grow back
in or fall out again at any time, and the disease course is different for
each person.
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