Twelve-year-old Juliet’s kindness is obvious to anyone who meets her. She’s the kind of girl who goes above and beyond to make her peers feel included. She doesn’t stand for bullying and she takes the time to understand and befriend classmates with behavior problems or disabilities. Ever since she was little, when Juliet has seen something wrong, she wants to make it right. So when she learned that kids with cancer lose their hair during treatment, she wanted to do something to help.

When Juliet was just 6 years old, she decided to donate her hair to make wigs for children with cancer who lose their hair to chemotherapy. She never expected any recognition, but she’s now the main character in a children’s book called “Today’s The Day!” which features two friends who stick together through cancer and bullying.

We asked Juliet a few questions about donating her hair and how kids just like her can help others.

Q: Where did you get the inspiration to donate your hair to kids fighting cancer?

A: I was inspired by my mom - she has donated her hair three times. I also wanted to do something that could change a kid’s life! No one likes being stared at or taunted for not having hair.

Q: How did other people in your life react when they saw you’d donated your hair?

A: They didn’t say much while I was growing it out, but people noticed my much shorter hair and asked me why I did it. I always answered with, “Because I can. I can help out another child with just cutting my hair – why wouldn’t I want to?” They never argued!

Q: How did you feel when you went to get your big haircut? How did you feel afterward?

A: I felt super excited, but a bit nervous, too. What were people going to think about my short hair? But my thoughts about a child smiling about their “new” hair overruled my nervousness. After, I felt really proud of myself and felt a growing sense of accomplishment that I still feel today.

Q: What is your favorite part of the book?

A: Probably the part where I have all those different emotions, all on one page! I also love the part when Juliet is with Siona and the kids are all in the background looking at her. It’s sad that they weren’t being nice, but it’s inspiring to see someone standing with Siona in defiance and friendship. I also like how it showed my long hair, then my short hair! It showed how much of it I donated.

Q: What kind of impact do you hope this book will have on other kids and their families?

A: I hope that the book can have a positive effect on others by showing them the Golden Rule – treat others as you would like to be treated. Never laugh or make fun of others because you have no idea what they could be going through.

Q: What advice do you have for another kid who wants to help people around them but doesn’t know where to start?

A: I would say look at what you’re good at, then find a way to use that special skill to help people. Also, people just want to know that others care. You don’t have to change the world to make someone smile! First step – Open a door for someone, smile or compliment them. Next step: take over the world (with kindness, of course!)

You can find “Today’s The Day” on Amazon – and $6 from the sale of each copy (the full profit earned minus business taxes) will be donated to Children's Cancer Research Fund to help fund lifesaving cancer research!