Right after she started middle school, Katarina Lucardie wanted to tell her classmates she was bald. She and her teachers created a documentary to tell her peers about what it's like to have alopecia areata.
Ditching the wig: One girl's journey —
Right after she started middle school, Katarina Lucardie wanted to tell her classmates she was bald. She and her teachers created a documentary to tell her peers about what it's like to have alopecia areata.
Courtesy Dustin Senger
After the film screening, Katarina answered questions about her condition from students while her teachers moderated the discussion. Some kids asked whether she was in pain or if her wig was itchy.
Ditching the wig: One girl's journey —
After the film screening, Katarina answered questions about her condition from students while her teachers moderated the discussion. Some kids asked whether she was in pain or if her wig was itchy.
Courtesy Dustin Senger
Katarina's mom, Carmela Aranda, also came to the screening. She was at first hesitant about Katarina not wearing a wig to school, but after watching the film, she realized they had made the right decision to tell her classmates this way.
Ditching the wig: One girl's journey —
Katarina's mom, Carmela Aranda, also came to the screening. She was at first hesitant about Katarina not wearing a wig to school, but after watching the film, she realized they had made the right decision to tell her classmates this way.
Courtesy Dustin Senger
Katarina shows off her good grades at home. Throughout most of elementary school, she wore a wig to hide her baldness, caused by her alopecia.
Ditching the wig: One girl's journey —
Katarina shows off her good grades at home. Throughout most of elementary school, she wore a wig to hide her baldness, caused by her alopecia.
Courtesy Carmela Aranda
After deciding to stop wearing her wig to school, Katarina is now wearing hats because of the cold weather in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Ditching the wig: One girl's journey —
After deciding to stop wearing her wig to school, Katarina is now wearing hats because of the cold weather in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Courtesy Carmela Aranda
Katarina went completely bald when she was 9. Her hair has started to grow back in patches this year, something that can happen to people with alopecia. But the patchiness of her hair has not deterred her from forgoing her wig.
Ditching the wig: One girl's journey —
Katarina went completely bald when she was 9. Her hair has started to grow back in patches this year, something that can happen to people with alopecia. But the patchiness of her hair has not deterred her from forgoing her wig.
Courtesy Carmela Aranda