Taylor's Gift

At 6, Madisen Jackan already has a mischievous sense of humor. When she heard her 8-year-old sister, Makayla, grumbling about having a bad-hair day -- because her waist-length locks were full of knots -- the Granite Falls, Washington, kindergartner started to laugh. "I never have bad-hair days," she announced with a grin. That's because Madisen doesn't have any hair. Not only is she completely bald, but she has no body hair, eyebrows, or eyelashes.

Madisen jokes about it now, but there was a time when she was very sensitive about her looks. Born with a full head of light-blond hair, Madisen developed a small bald spot when she was 2 1/2. Her parents took her to a dermatologist, who diagnosed her with alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes otherwise healthy kids or adults to lose some or all of their hair. The doctor prescribed a steroid cream to apply to her scalp, but the treatment didn't help. By the time Madisen started nursery school, she had only a few strands of hair left. "She was extremely self-conscious," says her mom, Chris. "Madisen always wore a knit cap because she didn't feel comfortable in public without something on her head."

Classmates made fun of Madisen. "They called her 'baby,' because she didn't have any hair," Chris says. "I sat down with the kids and asked how they'd feel if someone called them names." Although her efforts did cut down on the teasing, the negative attention took a toll. "I was at the preschool all the time because Madisen had separation anxiety and didn't want to go anywhere without me," she says. "She was very clingy and didn't make any friends." Chris and her husband, Jeff, hoped that things would be different when their daughter started kindergarten at a new school.

Before classes began in September 2002, Chris and Jeff met with Madisen's teacher, who promised to take their daughter under her wing. Chris also sent all the parents a letter explaining Madisen's disorder. "I didn't want them to think Madisen was dying of cancer," she says. The first day of school, Chris went to class with Madisen in order to talk to the kids. "I told them that alopecia isn't contagious, so their hair wouldn't fall out if they played with Madisen," Chris says. "Then I let them know that she would look different every day, because she has lots of hats, baseball caps, and scarves that she likes to wear. Madisen was very excited to show off her hats, and the kids were very receptive." But there was one thing her mom was still concerned about: "I prayed she'd find a good friend," Chris says.