Show You CARE, Donate Your HAIR! 8-Year-Old Nancy Santhis, a Third Std Student of Sacred Heart School, Kulshekar, Mangaluru, was among a Bevy of Women who Donated Hair for a noble Cause, to aid the cancer patients who have lost their hair
Mangaluru: Love Was In The Hair, at the Hair Donation Campaign organized by JCI Mangalore Disha under the leadership of JC Yesu Mary Santhis, in association with Fly High Charitable Trust, Mangaluru, JCI Mangalore Rise, JCI Mangalore Impact, and MIO, at Surprise Studio, Ballabagh, Mangaluru. With an aim to create awareness, to inspire people to donate their healthy hair for a noble cause to someone who needs it and make them feel complete from within, attracted a bevvy of women and 8-year-old Nancy, a Third std student of Sacred Hearts School, Kulshekar, Mangaluru. The minimum length of hair required for the donation is 12 inches. It is a kind, generous and satisfying way for those who want to give something back to society to show that they care
Donating hair for cancer patients is both easy and rewarding and anyone can do so. Your hair that takes so long to grow can be made into a beautiful wig for someone who really needs it to maintain a positive body image after her hair is shed due to chemotherapy. Yes, the need is great. Hair is an important part of our looks and the way we project ourselves to the world. Hair is precious and even more so to someone who loses it suddenly due to medical reasons. For cancer patients, hair loss is the most stressful and traumatic side effect of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. This effect on their appearance can be a further setback to patients who are already enduring physical and emotional hardship. The patients lose their identity, lack self-esteem and have lowered morale. And for that matter, Fly High Charitable Trust, Mangaluru along with JCI Mangalore Disha, JCI Mangalore Rise, JCI Mangalore Impact, did a great job in organizing this Hair Donation Drive for a good cause.
8-YEAR-OLD NANCY SANTHIS
25-YEAR-OLD JOEL D’SOUZA
If you’re in the mood for a new hairstyle and a fabulous short ‘do is on your mind, don’t just sweep it away into the trash. Instead, consider donating your hair to a worthy charitable cause. Many patients lose their hair due to cancer treatments. When a person loses their hair, they often lose some self-esteem too. That’s why donating your hair to create a natural-looking wig for a person in need is such a great idea. Donating hair for cancer patients is both easy and rewarding. You will feel good knowing that your short hairstyle has helped out someone who really needs it. Various NGOs, like Fly High Charitable Trust, Mangaluru, will help poor financially weak patients undergoing hair loss (short or long term) due to various medical conditions to make wigs. Anyone can donate hair for patients who lose hair during treatment like chemotherapy, radiation due to cancer, burn victims, or other dermatological conditions.
34-YEAR-OLD ANNAPOORNA
30-YEAR-OLD PRAJNA ATTAVAR SUVARNA
Jc Ms Yesu Mary Santhis-the President of JCI Mangalore Disha welcomed the gathering, and seated on the dais were-Dr Krishna Prasad- Medical Oncologist at MIO; Dheeraj- one of the Founders of Fly High Charitable Trust, which aims at making a difference in someone’s life; Deepak Gangoli- Proprietor of Surprise Studio; Ms Jc Sumaya- Secretary JCI Mangalore Disha; Jc Anil D’sa- President of JCI Mangalore Rise; and Jc Raviraj-President of JCI Mangalore Impact. Medical Oncologist Dr Krishna Prasad gave an informative talk on Ovarian Cancer Awareness, which received few queries from the women audience on that topic, and Dr Prasad gave an elaborate explanation clarifying their doubts on Ovarian Cancer.
Dheeraj of Fly High Charitable Trust said, “The aim in starting Fly high Charitable Trust was to contribute to the society in whatever small way we could, out of what we earned. We wanted to contribute to society as part of our wealth. Be willing to share your blessings. The only riches that last are the ones that are given away. We also want to make a difference in someone’s life, and that’s our motto. I am happy to be associated with the JCI Clubs in organizing this Hair donation Campaign to help Cancer patients with hair loss. Hope we will be able to put miles of smiles on the faces of cancer patients, who are desperately needing hair. Let us get together in the fight against cancer by ‘Donating Our Hair ‘to the needy ones”.
Owners Ms Mercy Veena D’Souza of Mercy Beauty Academy & Ladies Salon, Near CV Nayak Hall, Mangaluru; Ms Irene of Prits Beauty Lounge, Valencia, Mangaluru; Ms Jacintha Rego of Mona Lisa Beauty Parlour, Bendorewell, Mangaluru; Ms Sneha Shetty of Barbie Beauty Parlour, Kadri Kambla Rd, Mangaluru; Ms Vishu Kunder of Vishu Beauty Parlour in BC Road; Ms Prathibha Salian of Prathibha Beauty Parlour; and Suma Beauty Parlour, and their staff volunteered in cutting the required size of the hair of the donors. Speaking to Team Mangalorean the young hair donor 8-year-old Nancy Santhis, the daughter of JC Yesu Mary Santhis (President, JCI Mangalore Disha) said, “My mom explained to me how hair is very much needed by cancer patients who lose hair during cancer treatment, and I was very much convinced, and therefore I readily agreed to donate my hair. I decided it is the best I could do to help the ones who need it more than I do”.
“I am always motivated and keen to serve society. So when I came to know about this hair donation campaign, I decided it was the right opportunity for me to do my part and donate my hair. I am indeed happy to participate in such a great cause and would like to thank the organizers of the campaign for enabling me to help the needy. Donating hair is one of the ways by which we can support those living with cancer. Having my hair as long as 19 inches, I proudly donated 12 inches of it. I feel so blessed that I could participate in such a great cause. This has been a very touching experience for me since I am going to put smiles on the faces of innocent children and adults. Can’t wait for my tresses to grow so I can do this all over again!” said yet another donor, 34-year-old Ms Annapoorna, a health care worker.
Another donor, 30-year-old Ms Prajna Attavar Suvarna, the Founder President of JCI Mangalore ICON and employed in an IT firm said, “When I saw the hair donation campaign I felt very happy because since long ago I wanted to donate. It was in my mind, and I got inspired by one girl. She donated her full hair for the cause. That moment even felt like giving a little from my side. Feeling happy, it makes you happy when you make a small contribution to a good cause..Thank you team for the good work. I wish all the success to the great initiative taken by the JCI clubs in collaboration with other associations to have a hair donation camp which will inspire many women to be a part of a noble deed”.
The lone male hair donor was 25-year-old Joel D’Souza, pursuing his ACCA studies and also a pro-musician, who said, “This is my first time donating my hair which I had grown up to 21 inches since 2016. I always had a wish to donate my hair. I am fortunate enough to have such hair but there are others who need it more. I can say it was my bucket list to donate hair to cancer patients, and now I have donated six pieces of 12 inches of hair. I have been looking at mobile phones, and there are so many people giving hair to cancer patients. It inspired me like I too have to give my hair to cancer patients, to see smiles on their faces”.
In conclusion, in my perspective, Hair donations are just one method by which people can support those living with cancer. Donating hair to help women and children with medically-induced hair loss is a wonderful way to help those who are coping with unfair diseases such as cancer, or accidents such as burns. Many people think that monetary donations and gifts of large chunks of time are far more valuable, but that’s simply not true. Through hair donation, you not only give a part of yourself (literally) but do something that can help someone living with cancer today.
That’s why donating hair to hair loss victims is so noble. It doesn’t just give them hair – it gives them confidence. Donating hair to create a natural-looking wig will also allow patients to go on with their lives without announcing “I’m a patient” to the rest of the world. It isn’t just about hair, it’s a sort of psychological treatment for all who are suffering hair loss through illness. My appeal to people with healthy hair is to consider hair donation as a unique way to help those who are ill. Hair donation can be thought of as an act of sacrifice similar to organ donation which can be repeated over and over again unlike organ donation which usually only happens once.
If you have heard that you can donate your hair to benefit women and children with cancer, you’re correct. Look for organizations that organize Hair Donation Drives, where you can put your hair for good. If you have watched a loved one go through cancer treatment, or if you have gone through cancer treatment yourself, you may have felt an urge to “give back.” Donating your hair is a non-monetary way that you can benefit people living with cancer directly. One of the most dreaded side effects of cancer treatment is hair loss, whether due to chemotherapy-induced hair loss or as a side effect of radiation therapy to the brain. For both men and women, hair can play a role in your self-image.
Proud of Joel. Good job!