Hair donation drive to make wigs for cancer patients

To instill confidence among cancer patients to thrive in the mainstream society, an NGO launched a campaign, urging people to gift hair and wigs.

The ‘Gift Hair, Gift Confidence’ campaign was held at the Mount Carmel College on Wednesday. It was organised by The Cherian Foundation, a charitable trust of B&H Exports in partnership with Ladies Circle India.

The campaign is a PAN India hair donation drive, which will be followed by a wig donation event at the Kidwai Memorial Hospital and later at the Cancer Institute, Adyar.

The collected hair is used in making natural hair wigs and is distributed to cancer patients from marginalised communities to boost their confidence. People undergoing chemotherapy tend to lose hair over a span of time. Consequently, in a society where hair is considered the most beautiful feature of a woman, patients tend to lose their self confidence and withdraw from mainstream. The wigs will help them cope with the hair loss, often temporary.

Hair from donors is treated and segregated into bundles based on its size, texture and colour. It is then crafted into a handmade human hair wig by workers,  giving it a natural look, said Sara B Cherian, trustee, The Cherian Foundation.

“We conduct classes for patients about hair styling and the usage of wigs so that they can make use of it on a regular basis,” Sara said. “The used wigs are also collected, sanitised, refurbished and distributed among other deserving cancer patients,” she added.

Students with hair eight inches in length were asked to give either their entire hair or just a coin-sized patch, which would not be visible.