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Women from across the kingdom are getting their tresses chopped for a charitable cause that helps produce wigs for children undergoing cancer treatment.
The Crown of Care Campaign was launched by the Indian Ladies Association (ILA) and its community service subcommittee, including Anjali Gupta and Vinita Agarwal, last month to raise awareness about the disease that results in hair-loss, as well as provide little ones struggling from the loss of their luscious locks with real-hair wigs as a gesture of love.
“A smile on the face of a little one somewhere in this world is the biggest gift one can get,” said Anjali, who has been an ILA member since 2018, taking on the role of vice-president in 2021 and 2022.
“We believe a campaign like this is important for two reasons — it raises awareness of the suffering that cancer patients undergo while also providing an opportunity for the community to contribute and demonstrate care and love.
“My mother had been a cancer patient and my mother-in-law is a cancer survivor who lives with me in Bahrain. I have closely experienced the trauma, pain and suffering that cancer patients go through during their treatment.
“Hair loss resulting from side effects of chemotherapy is a devastating experience and could lead to loss of self-confidence, especially among women and children. I came to know about certain organisations that make wigs for patients and started donating my hair. I launched this campaign in 2019-2020 and repeated it in 2021 and we received an overwhelming response from the whole community in Bahrain.”
The current campaign will run until the end of October and ILA is looking for 100 women to participate. In November, the hair, which is cut into ponytails tied at both ends, will be shipped to the UK-based Little Princess Trust.
The Little Princess Trust was launched in 2006 by Wendy and Simon, parents of Hannah Tarplee who died in 2005 after battling Wilms tumour, or nephroblastoma, a cancer of the kidneys that typically occurs in children. Hannah loved her hair and losing it during treatment proved extremely traumatic, which is why they wanted to help children and young adults facing the same situation. Human hair is known to cause less irritation to wig-wearers than those made from animal hair or synthetic fibres, and looks more natural.
Since its inception, Little Princess Trust has helped more than 2,200 children, thanks to donations from across the UK, Ireland and from Bahrain.
The wigs, made in small sizes, would normally cost around BD250 each, and are given to children with cancer for free.
In 2013, pop sensation Jessie J donated her hair to the charity by shaving her head and in 2016, One Direction’s Harry Styles also cut his locks for the cause.
The donation drive is open to all genders and the minimum hair length required is 12 inches. There is also a great need for hair that’s 16 inches or longer, said Anjali.
The locks must be clean, dry and with no split ends.
“So far, we have received 10 registrations and six donations,” added Anjali. “Some of the donors are growing their hair and will be donating in the coming months. We have collaborated with many salons to give donors a free haircut. And Little Princess Trust’s real-hair wigs are also available for children in Bahrain who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment.”
Indian influencer and model Manisha Lagariya, 34, from Seef, stepped up for the cut to support the little ones.
“I saw the campaign on Instagram and liked the idea,” said Manisha who donated 12 inches. “I can grow my hair again and if it can be used for someone who cannot grow their’s, that makes all the difference.”
ILA president Sarada Ajith is thrilled that women are participating in the caring campaign.
“Our commitment is best expressed in our motto ‘service before self’,” she said. “ILA’s community outreach projects lend a helping hand to society comprised of a multicultural and multi linguistic populace such as the one in Bahrain.”
For details on how to participate, follow @ilabahrain on Instagram.
