Ever inherit something strange from a relative? A Lansing woman was given braids from her aunt 60 years ago, she was going to throw then out until a charity stepped in.

When she was 12, Janet Guinter of Lansing was given long braids from her aunt, who lived in New Jersey.

Why?

"At that time, my hair was this exact same color, and she said, 'Why don't you keep these braids, and you can use them in creative hairstyles.' That was the reason she stated for giving them to me," Guniter told United Press International.

Although Guinter never found a use for the braids, she wrapped them carefully and kept them for 60 years.

Before tossing them in the trash, Janet thought maybe there was someone who could put them to use. Enter Children With Hair Loss, a Detroit charity that makes wigs for kids undergoing cancer chemotherapy.

But wouldn't 60 year old hair be too fragile for use in wigs?

No, says Regina Villemure, the charity's founder.

"Once hair is cut, it's actually preserved forever. We have had hair that is donated over 100 years old. "t kind of blows everybody's mind that the hair is preserved once it's cut."

If you would like to donate hair to Children With Hair Loss, the charity asks only that donated locks be at least 8 inches long.

So my two takeaways from this story:

1) Hair lasts forever, and

2) I no longer think that giving someone a gift of hair is weird.

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