Welcome to The Rapunzel Foundation!
Founded in 2010 by Anna Furlong in New Ross, Co. Wexford, The Rapunzel Foundation was created from a deep desire to support individuals living with long-term hair loss. Anna’s inspiration came from the powerful story of Caitlin, an eight-year-old girl experiencing permanent hair loss, and the very real challenges faced by children and families in similar situations.
Long-term hair loss can place a significant financial burden on families, particularly when a child is affected. As children grow, hair pieces need to be replaced more frequently, and higher-quality solutions are essential to allow them the freedom to play, learn, and participate fully in everyday life alongside their peers.
We receive no government funding and over the years, thanks to the generosity and continued support of our incredible community, the Foundation has grown and evolved., Today, we are proud to support both adults and children living with long-term hair loss by providing Freedom Wigs, as well as offering partial financial assistance for hair pieces, mesh integration, and other essential solutions for those who need additional support.
a little bit about us
For over 13 years, Anna Furlong and her dedicated salon team led the work of The Rapunzel Foundation, offering vital support to individuals living with long-term hair loss. In 2023, Anna stepped back from the day-to-day running of the Foundation, passing the operational reins to Danielle Kennedy of The Collective by Lloyds Hair Salons. While Anna is now involved in a reduced capacity, her passion and vision continue to shape the Foundation’s work.
We are a small charity that makes a big impact. To ensure that as much funding as possible goes directly to those who need our support, we operate with a very small team and do not have a large staff to assist with our services. Because of this, and as we rely heavily on volunteers, we kindly ask donors to allow up to eight weeks for their donation acknowledgement to be received.
what we do
At its core, The Rapunzel Foundation is about empowerment. We provide practical support to individuals living with conditions that result in long-term hair loss, helping them regain confidence, comfort, and a sense of normality in everyday life.
We support both children and adults by providing wigs free of charge, as well as offering partial funding to those who may need assistance covering the cost of a wig or related hair-loss solutions.
The majority of our applicant need assistance with Freedom Wigs, as they utilise cutting-edge technology designed to offer a secure, comfortable, and natural-looking fit. These wigs are created to stay firmly in place, even in high winds, on rollercoasters, and while swimming, allowing wearers the freedom to live fully and confidently. With proper care, a Freedom Wig can last for many years, making it a long-term, life-changing solution for those we support.
how we do it
At The Rapunzel Foundation, we rely on the generosity of our community through ponytail donations and monetary contributions to support individuals living in Ireland with long-term hair loss.
Ponytail donations of 14 inches or more are carefully collected and sent to our wig makers, where the hair is professionally processed and prepared. Depending on the quality and suitability of the hair, it can take a minimum of 25 ponytail donations to create just one wig. Each donation plays a vital role in helping us provide a meaningful, life-changing solution for someone in need.
Alongside hair donations, financial contributions allow us to supply wigs free of charge or offer partial funding to individuals who may be struggling to cover the full cost of a piece.