“Someone out there is going to be so happy to have my hair.”– Amba Harty.
Hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy treatment. It’s also a blow to self-confidence, one’s looks and sense of identity.
The space of time between hair loss and regrowth can feel very long, and having the use of a wig during that period makes a big difference.
There are two ways of giving the gift of hair. Cutting your own hair and donating it to be made into a wig for someone, as Elma Le Roux did.
Elma was devastated when she heard that one of her oldest friends had been diagnosed with leukaemia and had started losing her hair with the first treatment, then shaved off the rest.
She knew that she couldn’t make her friend’s cancer go away, but because she’d always believed that her own long hair was her strength, she wanted to give that strength to her friend.
Elma’s 74cm long tresses were cut and turned into a beautiful hand knotted wig by CANSA partner Tymeless Necessity wig makers founded by Rani Chetty in 2019.
When Elma delivered the wig to her friend with a letter that she’d written, it was a very emotional day for everyone.
The other way of giving the gift of hair is to donate financially for the making and upkeep of wigs for cancer patients. Either way, you can make a very real difference in the life of someone fighting cancer.
A big ‘Thank You’ to those compassionate friends who sent donations towards wigs in August. And also to those who empathise enough to give their own hair to someone else.