When Jamia Jackson returned from a summer camp for children with alopecia, she decided she no longer wanted to wear a wig or a hat all the time to cover her hairless head. She wanted to be free, her mother Stephanie Jackson said. Stephanie recognized in her daughter a sense of self confidence she had never seen before she left for the Ohio camp. She wanted to instill that same feeling in other children with alopecia. Inspired by her hair stylist, Danielle Ward, who gave her an idea, she decided to start a support group.

State Sen. Robert Duncan and Reps. John Frullo and Charles Perry spoke with constituents at the League of Women Voters Breakfast on Tuesday morning about the issues most important to them, education and health care, as well as a review of the most recent legislative session. “Because we had a budget shortfall, we did something we didn’t want to do, but things we needed to do,” Duncan said. “We’re going to have to be vigilant in the interim as to how we meet budget requirements.” Perry agreed.

The upcoming Race for the Cure will allow Susan G. Komen for the Cure to fund grants for programs aiding breast cancer patients in 15 counties across the South Plains. The 17th annual race will begin at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center at 7 a.m. Oct. 1. So far, 5,484 participants have signed up for the race and $345,286.60 has been raised. Ashley Hamm, Komen Lubbock executive director, said she hopes to see 10,000 participants and bring in $550,000. Last year, 8,599 runners and walkers participated, bringing in $500,000.

On a trip to Hawaii, Lynn Loper was able to go zip lining, a daredevil experience that four years ago she only could have dreamed of doing. Four years ago Loper’s life was very different. She struggled to find clothes. She struggled to give her young son a bath. She struggled to keep the extra weight off. Gastric bypass surgery changed all that. After the surgery, Loper lost 80 pounds in four months. She lost another 20 to 30 pounds in the next four months. She has kept it off since.