This post is inspired by Da Huang and Marissa Funo. As part of the Team In Training Los Angeles Ultra Team, the couple are currently training for Leona Divide 50km/50mi (50km/50mi trail race) to fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They have a year goal. If they fundraise over $4000 by Dec 31, Da will buzz cut his hair while Marissa will donate her hair to Lock Of Love. They reached their year end goal on Dec 26, 2012. But they are not done yet, please continue to support their effort by making a donation here.
Let's take a step back on Da, Marissa and their year end goal effort.
Marissa likes her long hair. She has long hair pretty much her whole life. When I told Da/Marissa the idea of donating Marissa's hair to Lock of Love (a non-profit organization that make prosthetics for children with long term medical hair lost) as a fundraiser, she resisted the idea. "Nooo, I will look funny" as I recalled her saying that over, over, over, and over again. Eventually she bought in the idea. When I asked her why she decided to do it, she told me that donating her hair offer a direct impact to a little girl or teenager who are battling cancer. Listening to mission moment from little girs and thinking about her friend Nicole also helped her make the decision. Nicole lost her battle to cancer when she was 23. Talking to her BFF Lauren who donated her hair many times also helped Marissa finalized her decision. Marissa knows that her hair will grow back, and she's helping someone who will appreciate her.
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| Nicole(left) and Marissa at their college graduation Nicole lost her battle with Non-hodgkins Lymphoma. She was 23. Photo from Marissa fundraising website |
Da loves his hair. His hair is part of his identity. His Primary Care Physician may not remember his name, but Dr. Zamora sure remember Da as 'The Aero Dynamic Hair Guy'. If you want to cut Da's hair, you may as well kill him. Da loves his hair.
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| Da and Marissa. Picture is taken at Road To Seoul BBQ in Aug 2012 I believe. |
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| Da and Marissa with their TNT Ultra Team Jacket. Picture is taken at Road To Seoul BBQ in Dec 26, 2012 |
We talked about our training, Da's hair, and of course our friend Mari. The bill came out to be $25 per person, they get $15 per person as fundraiser. With people donating extra, we actually made $325. When Da found out they will meet the year end goal, he got sad and a little teary. They have $200.49 to go.
Donations are coming in after Marissa posted about how close they are to reach their end year goal. Within an hour, one of my friends text me to offer $200 donation if this person can cut Da's hair. While I was talking to my friend, Marissa message me and told me that our restaurant tycoon friend made a donation to them and push them over the $4000 mark.
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| As Da counted over $610 for a $285(all included) bill, he was like... #@#$# |
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| Lauren, Marissa, and Da - People's reaction (including Da) about Da's buzz cut |
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| Da is definitely not a happy camper |
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| Marissa appreciates our support and made goodie bags for the BBQer =) |
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| Friends we met through Team In Training - Go Team |
Sure, we are poking fun at Da. I don't know what Da thinks about this whole thing. I am sure he rather not do it. Regardless of him liking it or not, he is going to do a buzz cut. He may think that this is a sick joke. But he probably doesn't know the positive experience that will come from this whole thing.
For those of you who doesn't know. I was in Da's shoe once in 2009. I was faced with a situation that I was not comfortable in! It all started in 2009 when I bought a Pikachu Kigurumi (Pajamas) thinking that I can visit kids at the Children Hospital Los Angeles as Pikachu. Because of Swine Flu it is very hard to visit kids at CHLA so Pikachu is just collecting dust at home. In July 2009 I decided to go to the Anime Expo in the Downtown Convention Center.
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| Lawson, Me, and Thi at Anime Expo 2009 - Yes, we are all Subaru Impreza WRX owners and we met in a Subaru Forum called i-club.com Peoople didn't really notice me because they were all over Thi. Apparently Thi dressed up as a popular female anime character. |
F@# it, I am going to do it and let people stare at me. Worst come to worst I can take it off. But people who lost their head need to live with it until their treatment is over. At least I get to experience a tiny bit of what chemo patients have to go through. So I went to South as Pikachu, people were whistling at me and teammates were very thrill. I am Pikachu, and the rest is history. Most people don't know why I run around as Pikachu, Panda, or the Green Monster. I really don't need to explain to others but I try to tell people who are going through treatment. This is one of my friend to pay tribute to them.
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| See, my face turned red at South. photo credit: Alison Chavez |
So going back to Da. From my personal experience as Pikachu, I know something wonderful is going to happen even though there is no direct benefit to LLS or to people who are battling cancer. Knowing how much Da loves his hair, people will get inspired by Da. Together, Da and Marissa are going to raise more money to help find a cure for cancer. More girls (and guys too) will consider donating their hair to Lock of Love. If anything, this experience will strength the relationship of Da and Marissa.
I know Da is doing a buzz hair and he is not shaving his head, but I like to refer him as Krillin now. Now if he actually shave his head and put the 6 dots on his forehead, I am sure he will get more donation.
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| Krillin, known as Kuririn (クリリン) is a character from Dragon Ball |
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| And when Da grow his hair back, he can be Goku again. Goku is the main character from Dragon Ball. |
Louis
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