FISHERS -- Olivia Rusk, 8, received a very special Christmas present this year: new hair.
Since she was 2, Olivia has had alopecia (al-oh-PEA-shuh), a disease that makes the immune system attack a person's hair follicles and cause the hair to fall out. Sandy Rusk, Olivia's mother, said they have spent six years visiting numerous doctors and trying various treatments, none of which have really helped.
On Wednesday, Olivia became the proud new owner of a hair system that she can comb, brush, wash and even swim in.
"Oh, and I can actually put it in a ponytail," exclaimed Olivia, who lives in Fishers and attends Lantern Road Elementary School.
Sandy said her daughter lost all of her hair shortly after being vaccinated when she was 2, but was able to grow most of it back in two years. Since then, Olivia has continued to lose and regrow her hair, losing most of it again in October when the condition took a turn for the worse.
Sandy had considered getting a hair system for Olivia in the past, but had not been happy with the options she found.
"It was very important for whatever we did to look natural," she said. "I didn't want people to look at my daughter and know."
For Olivia, who said people frequently stare or ask her what's wrong, being treated like a normal 8-year-old girl is the most important thing.
"Sometimes I forget about it (that I have alopecia), but then people ask me," she said. "People will always ask me what's wrong."
Sandy said the condition has been an emotional strain on her and her daughter, and she hopes the new hair will bring some relief to Olivia.
"People have asked me if she has leukemia or cancer. A lot of times that's what people associate with losing your hair," Sandy said. "It's hard for me as a mother to see my daughter going through something that I can't help."
One day while watching a TV makeover show, Sandy saw a girl with alopecia who received new hair from Farrell Hair Replacement. She looked into the business, and at the time the closest office was in Chicago.
Sandy said she decided the drive was worth it to get her daughter hair like she had seen on TV, but before she could arrange to make the trip.
For Olivia, he was able to shorten the process to eight weeks so she'd have it in time for Christmas.