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Central School Students Hold Charity Walk-A-Thon

Pupils raise money to battle Alopecia Areata

Wall Central School students were a little lighter on shoe leather after Wednesday’s charity Walk-A-Thon, which raised thousands to fund research to battle a rare disease.

Miss Delaware 2010 Kayla Martell joined Central students in raising money for the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. Event organizers said the Walk-A-Thon was expected to raise between $4,000 - $5,000.

People affected by the disease suffer a loss of hair, on the scalp and elsewhere. Alopecia Areata usually starts with one or more small, round, smooth patches on the scalp and can progress to total scalp hair loss or complete body hair loss, according to the foundation.

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Martell, along with two Central School students, have the non-fatal autoimmune disease.

“Until I was 10 years old, I had long blonde hair.  Then it started falling out in patches, resulting in what I like to call a glorified mullet,” Martell said.  “It took my doctors 11 months to finally diagnose me with Alopecia Areata. I became completely bald when I was in high school.”

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Central School first grader Lilliana Hakim also has Alopecia Areata. She started losing her hair when she was 10 months old, said Donna Hakim, Lilliana’s mother.

“She lost 90 percent of her hair in two weeks. She was a baby who had a lot of hair, so I knew that something wasn’t right and I thought the worst,” Donna Hakim said.  “I was scared to death. I had never heard of Alopecia Areata until Lilliana’s diagnosis.”

Hakim credits the Alopecia Areata foundation for educating her about the disease and finding families with similar circumstances and connecting with Martell.

Doreen Brown, event chairwoman, said Central School students and their families secured sponsors who have pledged money for each lap around the school the student completes. Pupils in Grades K-2 walked two laps each and grades 3-5 walked four.

It was the second time that beauty queen Kayla Martell had attended an event at Central, according to Principal Greg Storts.

A Fall 2010 school-wide assembly first introduced the students to Martell.  During the assembly, Martell wore a wig until the very end when she removed it to reveal her baldness, he said.

Following the assembly, the Central Parents and Educators Association (CAPE) reached out to the Hakim family and Martell with the intent of dedicating the funds raised at this year’s Walk-A-Thon to the NAAF, Storts said.

“The success of this event is a testament to the teachers and families of our school,” Storts said.

Donations to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation can be made online at www.naaf.org or mailed to C.A.P.E. (Central Association of Parents and Educators) c/o Central School, 2007 Allenwood Road, Wall, N.J. 07719. 

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