Donating hair helps people - Binh Dinh Online Newspaper

Báo Bình Định•08/04/2023

Donating hair helps people.

For women, long hair is a distinctive beauty, representing femininity. However, some young people are willing to donate their hair as a way of giving love and hope to breast cancer patients.

Having accidentally learned about the hair donation campaign for the BCNV Hair Library program (initiated by the Vietnam Breast Cancer Network) on Facebook, Vo Nguyen Hoang My (born in 2007, residing in Le Hong Phong ward, Quy Nhon city) still vividly remembers the touching feeling when watching clips of young patients' joy when wearing wigs donated by the public.

My shared that previously, she only knew that patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy would lose their hair; but she didn't know about such a meaningful hair donation activity. Therefore, as soon as she understood the method and rules of participation, in early October 2022, My cut 30 cm of her hair and sent it to the library.

My shared: “Our hair can grow back if we lose it. But for cancer patients, that's very difficult. Therefore, I am willing to donate a portion of my hair, hoping to spread positive energy and send words of encouragement to them, especially the children who are battling the disease.”

After donating her hair, My invited her classmate, Ho Nguyet Linh (born in 2007, residing in Ly Thuong Kiet Ward, Quy Nhon City), to join her. Without hesitation, Linh also donated 45 cm – half of the hair that Linh was extremely proud of and cherished since childhood.

From then on, the two friends, who were usually remembered for their long, jet-black hair, changed their appearance with short, edgy hairstyles. Initially, both were not used to losing their familiar hair, but after receiving feedback from the program, My and Linh were both happy with what they had done.

"I've had long hair since I was a child, and because I cherished it so much, I never cut it until I participated in a hair donation program for cancer patients. I understood that there's something more precious than hair: empathy and sharing with those less fortunate, even if we've never met or known them," Linh confided.

Not only My and Linh, but there are also elementary school students, even at a very young age, who know how to give voluntarily. Phan Ngoc Minh (born in 2016, residing in Ghenh Rang ward, Quy Nhon city) is one such case. Minh was born with a condition where his left kidney is double and his upper kidney is hydronephrotic, so he has had to go to the hospital for treatment and receive regular antibiotic injections since he was 3 months old. Therefore, for Minh's family, nothing is more important than fighting and overcoming his illness together. However, contrary to his parents' worries, he remains cheerful, lively, and always smiling.

Little Minh excitedly cut her hair to donate to breast cancer patients, and attached a handwritten letter when she sent her hair to the program. Photo: Provided by the artist.

Once, Minh had to go to the provincial general hospital for treatment. While waiting for her turn, she saw an elderly patient who had no hair, so she asked her about it and learned that the woman had cancer and had lost all her hair due to chemotherapy. Back home, she told her mother about the encounter and expressed her wish to donate her hair.

Ms. Tran Thi Ha Phuong, Minh's mother, shared: "A few days ago, my daughter and I were watching TV and learned about the hair donation library for cancer patients. But I thought she would just glance at it and forget about it, until she expressed her desire to donate her hair. I was surprised that Minh still remembered. I feel proud that even though she is young, she already knows how to love and care for others."

So, that very day, Minh happily donated 35 cm of her hair. Seeing herself in the mirror looking different than usual, she was overjoyed and immediately wrote a handwritten letter to attach with the hair, carefully packaged it, and sent it to the program.

"I will take good care of my health and grow my hair long so I can donate more hair to cancer patients. I hope that when they receive my donated hair, they will feel more joy and no longer have feelings of inferiority or self-consciousness," Minh shared.

Here are some regulations regarding hair donation for cancer patients:

- Before getting a haircut, you should wash and dry your hair. For layered hair, you should divide and tie each section of hair lengthwise before cutting.

- Suitable hair types include: Natural hair 25 cm or longer; chemically treated hair (permed, dyed, straightened, etc.) 35 cm or longer; for curly hair, straightening is not necessary, just pull it straight by hand to measure the standard length; hair that has been cut and stored no more than 2 years ago can be donated but must be bundled and meet the above conditions; donating gray or salt-and-pepper hair is encouraged to suit elderly patients.

- Hair samples should be sent by mail to the following address: Vietnam Breast Cancer Network (BCNV) Office, 122/11 Pho Quang Street, Ward 9, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City.

DUONG LINH

Source