A number of Spartans have been growing out their hair and embracing “the flow.”

“Having good flow is having fantastic, long flowing hair. I was going to get my hair cut, but I got too many compliments on how good it looked,” senior Andrew Smith said.

However, one student and teacher have taken their “flow” to the next level. Senior Danny Cochran and theology teacher Mr. Howard Place are growing out their hair for cancer patients. Their group is known as the Fellowship of the Flow.

Cancer patients who need chemotherapy often lose their hair. That’s where the Fellowship of the Flow steps in.

Cochran’s mom was diagnosed with cancer in April 2010. He saw how difficult it was for her to lose her hair during treatment, and he wanted to provide his mom with a sense of hope in her darkest time.
“I just wanted to do the simplest thing that could help others, so that they are not embarrassed to go outside,” Cochran said.

Mr. Place, founder of the Fellowship, started growing out his hair in college. After becoming tired of his long hair, he cut it. His family asked him why he did not donate it.

“I had no idea that donating hair was even possible,” said Mr. Place.

Since then, he has donated his hair to charity, and in 2013, he brought the idea to De Smet. The group started off large with 15 members, but has since died down. Mr. Place and Cochran have been following through with their goal of 18 months trim-free, which will end March 5. After cutting their hair, they will send it to Beautiful Lengths run by Pantene Pro-V. Beautiful Lengths is a non-profit organization that provides wigs for women who are going through chemotherapy. So far, the organization has made over 24,000 wigs and has become the largest non-profit health organization worldwide.

Beautiful Lengths and the Fellowship need members who are willing to help the cause to provide cancer patients the means to look healthy. Contact Mr. Place for more information.

Update: Mr. Place and Cochran cut and donated their hair to Beautiful Lengths on Wednesday, March 4.