Lieutenant Kim Haneul of the ROK Navy 3rd Fleet Gyeongnam, "Stay Strong, Pediatric Cancer Patients"

Donated 35cm of Hair to the Eomeona Campaign

A Navy officer who donated hair that she had grown for two years for children with cancer is setting a great example for those around her.

The person in the spotlight is Lieutenant Kim Haneul (25 years old), who is currently serving as a guided weapons officer on the Gyeongnam ship, part of the Navy’s 3rd Fleet Command (hereafter referred to as the 3rd Fleet).

Lieutenant Kim Haneul, assigned to the Republic of Korea Navy 3rd Fleet Command (hereinafter 3rd Fleet).

Lieutenant Kim, who was commissioned as a Navy officer in 2022, said she first thought about hair donation when she cut her long hair before entering the Naval Officer Candidate School. She decided that if she grew her hair again after commissioning, she would definitely donate it, and for the past two years, she has taken good care of her hair with this goal in mind.

Even so, Lieutenant Kim said she hesitated a lot before donating her hair. She felt regret at the thought of cutting off hair she had grown with difficulty, and the invisible effort required to maintain her hair for donation, even while serving on a ship with frequent departures, made her keep reconsidering. However, believing that her hair donation could be precious to children with cancer, she continued to care for her hair without perming or dyeing it. Fellow crew members on the Gyeongnam ship also supported her decision and helped her in many ways, often without her noticing.

As a result, on the 2nd of this month, Lieutenant Kim was able to donate her healthy hair to the “Eomeona Movement Headquarters,” an organization that collects hair for young cancer patients. The length of the hair she donated this time reached 35 cm.

This is not the only act of donation and volunteer work by Lieutenant Kim. Since her university days, she has served as the president of a voluntary service club and has consistently engaged in volunteer activities for those in need. From 2018 to 2020, she was also selected as an outstanding volunteer in Yongin City.

Lieutenant Kim said, “Seeing the hair I’ve grown until now being donated like this, I feel relieved that I could provide even healthier hair,” and added, “I hope children with cancer can regain their health as soon as possible, live without worrying about others’ gazes, and look forward to a future filled with more excitement and confidence in their new lives.”