Human Hair Necklaces

These incredibly intricate necklaces are made by an art student named Kerry Howley. Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class.

 The human body, apart from its glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and fine vellus hair. Most common interest in hair is focused on hair growth, hair types and hair care, but hair is also an important biomaterial primarily composed of protein, notably keratin. The word “hair” often refers to two distinct structures: the part beneath the skin, called the hair follicle or when pulled from the skin, called the bulb. This organ is located in the dermis and maintains stem cells which not only re-grow the hair after it falls out, but also are recruited to regrow skin after a wound; and 2 the shaft, which is the hard filamentous part that extends above the skin surface. A cross section of the hair shaft may be divided roughly into three zones.

Soure

The dying wife who asked for her husband who beat her up to be free from jail

A Northern California man serving a sentence for assaulting his wife was released in 2011 because of the dying wish from the woman he admitted beating. 3 months prior to this, Jeremy Davis was sentenced to 12 months in the Monterey County Jail after pleading guilty to the charges. He was let go after his wife, Char Davis, asked a judge to release him. The reason for the request: she was diagnosed with terminal cancer Christmas Eve. After providing proof of her illness, a Monterey County judge sympathized with Davis and granted her request.

Char Davis walked away from the courthouse in tears, hand-in-hand with her husband's father, a retired nursing director who will help care for her. As part of the condition of his release, Davis will attend weekly domestic violence classes. (Link)

The six-year-old girl who wanted to leave love letters to her parents

When 6-year-old Elena Desserich was diagnosed with brain cancer, she began hiding hundreds of little love notes around the house for her parents to find after she was gone. She was given 135 days to live. She lived 255 days, passing away in 2007. After her death, Elena's parents, Brooke and Keith, found hundreds of notes from Elena hidden around the house — in between CD cases, between bookshelves, in dresser drawers, in backpacks. "It just felt like a little hug from her, like she was telling us she was looking over us". Elena's parents, Brooke and Keith Desserich, later published these notes in a book called Notes Left Behind to fund a non-profit organization The Cure Starts Now dedicated to fighting pediatric brain cancer.(Link | Via 1 | Via 2)

The 5-year-old who dreamed of singing to Simon Cowell before dying

Bethany Fenton, 5, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2009, was granted her biggest wish — to sing for Simon Cowell. Her dream came true at the Britain's Got Talent studios in London. Afterwards, she said: “Simon let me sing ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' to him. He's so nice and I love him.” Bethany passed away at a hospice the three days later. Cowell's spokesman Max Clifford said, “He is really upset, he said what a beautiful little girl she was. He is just so sad, and sad for the whole family. She was a very special little girl and Simon was so touched when she sang for him… his heart goes out to Bethany's mum and dad and he is thinking of them.” A spokesman for Bethany's family said, “Her dad said that she had done what she always wanted to do, meet Simon Cowell and sing to him. She had achieved her big ambition and was now ready to depart this earth.”  (Link)

The woman who wanted to get married as her final wish

Maire Taomia was diagnosed with gastric cancer and, as a dying wish, asked her father to give his blessing for the marriage. The Ashburton woman and Marouna Tunui, 23, were married in a bittersweet ceremony before 300 friends and family at St. Christopher's Church in Avonhead.

When the doctor told Taomia there was nothing more they could do, she told her father: "I want to get married." The young couple, who have been together for more than two years, have a one-year-old son, Detroit. The pair has lived in a single-bed room in Christchurch Hospital since November 2010. Rongo said his daughter was energetic and beautiful during the ceremony held in January 2011, but her illness was not forgotten.

CanTeen, the Cancer Society of New Zealand and Christchurch's Millennium Hotel covered the costs of a wedding cake, a wedding dress, a limousine, a photographer and a hotel room for the couple's honeymoon.

The dying boy who helped feeding the hungry

Brenden Foster (October 4, 1997 – November 21, 2008) was a boy from Bothell, Washington, diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2005. KOMO, a local broadcasting station, reported the story of Brenden's last wish, which was to feed the homeless. He said he wanted to be an angel so he could help the homeless from Heaven. The story inspired many, and prompted attention from national media, even drawing international attention.

The Brenden Foster Food Drive was created by the broadcasting station in his honor. In Seattle, volunteers from the Emerald City Lights Bike Ride passed out over 200 sandwiches to the homeless. Inspired viewers took part in the "Stuff the Truck" food drive in Brenden's honor, filling seven trucks of groceries and $95,000 in cash to benefit the Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline. Brenden's story also reached KOMO's sister station in Portland, Oregon, KATU, which reported actions inspired by Brenden in Los Angeles, Ohio, and Pensacola, Florida. At the Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles, for instance, over 2,500 meals have been served in Brenden's name. His advocacy for the homeless housed in tent cities continues to be remembered. A Vietnam War veteran from Kentucky who lost his leg in the war was so touched by the story, he gave Brenden his purple heart.

The Seattle Seahawks NFL franchise paid for Brenden's funeral; he was buried in Evergreen Washelli Cemetery in Seattle, Washington. (Link 1 | Link 2)

The 100-year-old woman who got her degree a day before dying

It was Harriet Richardson Ames' dream to earn her bachelor's degree in education. She finally reached that milestone nearly three weeks after achieving another: her 100th birthday. The day after receiving her diploma at her bedside, the retired school teacher died, pleased that she had accomplished her goal. Ames had earned a two-year teaching certificate in 1931 at Keene Normal School, now Keene State College. At age 100, Harriet Richardson Ames fulfilled her dream of earning her bachelor's degree in education.  (Link)

The dying girl who wished to see Pixar's ‘Up'

Colby Curtin got her final wish. The 10-year-old girl desperately wanted to see the new Disney-Pixar movie, “Up.” But the cancer-stricken girl was too sick to go to a theater. So a family friend contacted someone at Pixar to see if they could help. The very next day, Pixar flew in an employee with a bag of “Up” memorabilia and a DVD version of the film. Together he and Colby's family all watched the movie. The movie features a large plume of balloons released to the sky. Colby died 7 hours later.

Note: Our reader Christopher wanted us to add that according to TV Tropes, the movie was not in theatres yet, and Pixar specially made a DVD for her, flew it out, and let her have her wish. On top of that, it is written that they didn't try publicizing it either. (Link 1 | Link 2)

The teenager girl who wanted to go to her homecoming dance and died 3 days later

Brett Marie Christian, 15, had leukemia and the prognosis wasn't good. She was dying, but before she died, she wanted one last dance but she was too sick to go to the Homecoming Dance. So her classmates made her last wish come true and brought the dance to her. That's how Palmyra High's homecoming came early that year at the Monarch in Lincoln, where people go to die. She wore a pink dress and her hair in curls. She had a manicure and a pedicure. Her date bought her a corsage and a necklace, too. Brett and Treyton Carter danced the first dance in the commons room, with 50 or more of their classmates who were dressed for a party.

Miss Christian was crowned homecoming queen on a Saturday night and died three days later with her family all around. There were lots of things the high school sophomore knew she'd miss. Getting married, having kids, growing old .But she wanted one last dance. (Link | Via)