When moms support other moms, beautiful things—and beautiful hair—can happen.

Back in January, California mom Britany Ek was diagnosed with breast cancer at just 35 years old. She knew treatment would be hard, physically and mentally, and she knew she would lose her long, blonde hair—and the $10,000 price tag for a custom wig seemed out of reach.

What Ek didn’t know was that soon she would have hair that made her feel like herself again, all thanks to social media and fellow moms from across the country.

“I posted in my Facebook moms group that I couldn’t afford a wig that looked like my natural hair and a bunch of my friends in that group reached out via social media to their friends and communities asking for donations,” the mom of three told Motherly. “In less than a week, all the hair had been cut and was being mailed to my friend Allison in Florida. Allison then mailed the package off to my wig maker here.”

The wig maker, Hair Couture Designs in Camarillo, California, was able to use several donated ponytails to craft a stunning, natural-looking wig that would have cost thousands of dollars had the hair bundles been purchased.

“They all came from people I had never met. It’s amazing the kindness and generosity people have in them,” said Ek.

The donations also made Ek’s cancer battle slightly easier to comprehend for her three young sons.

“Me losing my hair really affected my six year old twins,” she said, adding that one of her boys told her he hoped her flowing hair would be back by Christmas.

Thanks to the Facebook group, Christmas came early for Ek, but her online mom friends were not the only moms in her life to lend support to the Navy wife during her time of need.

“I even had my Navy officer spouses club and local moms group deliver dinner to my family for six whole months. It was so helpful,” said Ek, who called the support of her community a true blessing.

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Long before her Facebook friends helped her create her wig, one of Ek’s fellow Navy wives, Lauren Wenker with LaLa Clicks Photography, suggested a family photo session in the days leading up to Ek’s first cancer treatments. Those photos capturing Ek prior to her hairloss have proven to be a great gift to the mom as she moves through cancer treatment, giving her something to look back on on the days she feels sick of looking sick.

“I’m so glad she suggested it,” she said. “My mind was all over the place and family pics never crossed my mind.”

The hairstyle captured in those family photos was then emulated by Ek’s wig maker, who created a wig that gives Ek a natural looking hairline. She can even put it in a ponytail or braid it—and says it feels like magic. ✨

As her treatment continues, Ek remains thankful for her friends—those on Facebook and in person—and has some advice for other moms dealing with cancer and other illnesses.

“Be prepared to let people help you any which way they offer to.”