Features
Carol Quash
The Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society (TTCS) has been providing support and services to cancer patients and their families for over 50 years. From building awareness, to physical, emotional and psychological screening and support, the society has fulfilled its mission: “To create and promote greater awareness of the need for early detection and preventive measures and to reduce the incidence of cancer through education, service and advocacy”.
TTCS Chairperson Dr Asante Le Blanc told Newsday on Sunday that the society recently launched another support program – Show Care…Donate Some Hair – an initiative through which people can donate hair to be made into wigs for women and girls who have lost their hair due to cancer and other hair loss conditions.
She said that because TTCS is dedicated and always looking for ways to make the lives of those fighting the disease as comfortable as possible, it needs to find as many different perspectives as possible to meet her mandate.
“That aspect is interesting and it’s also very important, and it’s something we don’t always think about,” she said, because there are so many reasonably priced synthetic wigs available on the market. But the hair donation program will allow some cancer patients to have access to human hair wigs, which are very expensive.
She said that while hair donation in TT is not a new concept, the society is now playing a more active role in an initiative it supported several years ago when it assisted Precious Roots, a non-profit hair donation foundation founded by Cyan Yee. . Hair was collected from donors and sent to Canada and the US, and made into wigs and donated to cancer patients.
“Unfortunately the wigs are staying in the United States until I find a way to bring them to Trinidad,” Yee told Newsday in a 2019 interview.
Building on that, TTCS recently formalized a partnership with New York-based Butterflies By Blaq Incorporated, an NGO founded in 2012 that provides free hair replacements and hair loss solutions to children and teens in need. for them.
“This allows us to take our cause to a global level and collaborate with an organization that is much more structured. Every quarter, we send everything we’ve collected to our partner in New York, they create wigs, and TTCS will get back a percentage to distribute to the local community.
“We don’t know what the demand is for wigs at TT right now because the program was semi-dormant. Because this program is so new, we want patients to contact us if they can’t afford a wig. and we will are placed on the waiting list.
“The only qualification is to be a cancer survivor…The Society wants to show that we are open to suggestions on how we can really help.
“This is just another way for us to support and help slowly but surely with every aspect of this journey called cancer.”
But, she said, because the program was founded on the premise of making wigs for people who need them, not only cancer patients but other people with hair loss diseases like alopecia will be able to access wigs as soon as available.
Le Blanc said the program started a few weeks ago and people have already started dropping off donations.
“I think it’s important for people to understand that we’re trying to approach it from a cultural perspective as well, so we welcome all types of hair…
“Once people realize that this is a solid program, they will make the sacrifice to grow their hair as a way to donate, because so many people have been affected by cancer, directly or indirectly.”
And, she said, the call is not just for women. Men too can do their part to make a donation to this worthy cause.
“This is all about us being able to give it back. This is not a one-time promotion, it’s an ongoing element of the company.”
Donation Instructions:
Hair should be clean and well dried.
It must be at least 12 inches long. Curly hair must be pulled straight to measure the minimum length.
It should not be chemically treated or dyed.
It must be in a ponytail or braid before being cut
Hair cut years ago is acceptable, as long as it is clean and in a ponytail or braid.
Each donation must be placed in a printed and sealed plastic bag, placed in an envelope and delivered to the TTCS Projects Department, Highway Plaza, Freeport, along with the $100 administrative fee. Le Blanc explained: “It’s just a small contribution fee to help ship the hair to the US and for our partner to ship the wigs back.”
For more information on the hair donation program, visit
kancertt.com
or follow TTCS on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
