Mason Elementary holds events for Alopecia Awareness Month

LAUREL, Miss. (WDAM) - Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved oral tablets to treat adult patients with severe Alopecia Areata -a common autoimmune skin disease that causes hair loss on the scalp, face, and sometimes other areas of the body.

Henrietta Brown, a teacher at Mason Elementary School with almost 25 years of experience, said she was diagnosed with the disorder in June of last year.

“We are different, but it’s okay,” said Brown. “It’s okay to be different, and I think (awareness) helps (those with alopecia) to embrace themselves and teach them that they don’t have to cover up. They can just be their natural selves, and it’s okay; we love you anyway.”

Brown said the attention alopecia had received nationally has helped with awareness and education.

“When Jada Pinkett made everyone aware from a celebrity standpoint, it made me feel good because she was speaking on something that millions of people deal with on a daily basis, and it needed to be brought to the surface,” said Brown.

With September being Alopecia Awareness Month, Mason Elementary is celebrating the qualities that make each and every person different and unique.

“Some of the activities that we have planned this week are dress as your favorite book character, we have crazy hair day, we have the ‘Who I Am’ collage,” said Principal Tirrase Bishop. “We also have ‘Turn the School Blue,’ where we’re going to all dress in blue to support awareness.

“We have to celebrate each other’s differences. That social-emotional piece is huge; we are really pushing our social-emotional learning.”

According to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, approximately 6.8 million people in the United States have or will develop alopecia.

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