Young donor gives hair and hope to cancer patients

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — Earlier this year, 7-year-old Paige Twibell walked into the Schrader Family Cancer Center at AdventHealth Castle Rock for its February open house, and she left with a big idea.

After seeing the new space and hearing about the patients who would receive care there, Paige asked a simple question: How can I make a difference?

For the soon-to-be 8-year-old, the answer was to grow out her hair so it could be donated and made into a wig for someone facing cancer treatment.

Paige, whose birthday is May 8, is looking forward to what her family calls her “golden birthday” and celebrating in a way that reflects the compassion she has already shown.

Her mother, Brenna Costello, said the moment was especially meaningful because of her own connection to the cancer center.

Costello is one of the team leaders at SmithGroup, the architecture and engineering firm that helped design the new space.

She led the design team working with AdventHealth leaders to translate the cancer center’s program into a setting that supports care, comfort and healing.

“We design with intention,” she said, describing the goal of creating a beautiful and functional environment for staff and patients.

One of the most unique challenges, she noted, was developing an “outdoor terrace” experience within an existing building.

For Costello, bringing her children to the open house made the project feel personal. They saw not only the work she does, but also the impact it can have on people during some of the hardest moments of their lives.

They also met many of the AdventHealth team members involved in the project, and the butterflies displayed throughout the center quickly became a favorite detail.

Paige said her decision to donate her hair came from a simple place: If her hair could grow back, it could be shared with someone who needed it more.

“It makes me feel really good,” she said. “I hope it helps someone smile.”

Her mother called it a proud moment for the entire family.

She said Paige understands that even small acts of kindness can have a real impact, and that her daughter’s long hair became something she could give away to help someone else.

Costello hopes the person who receives the wig feels joy, beauty and renewed self-esteem.

“There’s so much that is taken away from a person when they go through cancer treatment,” she said. “We hope this helps them have one less worry.”

Paige had a message for other children who may want to do something kind, too: “You can do it, too.”