She'd give you the hair off her head

Women and girls donate their locks to provide female chemotherapy patients with the gifts of support and greater self-confidence.

Shoba Sachin is among 42 women and girls who donated their hair to patients receiving chemotherapy, as part of the Hair For Hope campaign at Jet Set Salon in Dubai last week.

DUBAI // Amna Maqsood, 10, sat apprehensively in her chair as she prepared to lose nearly 20 centimetres of her long locks.

But any anxiety was overridden by her determination to improve the life of a cancer patient after she lost her nine-year-old brother Moazzam Ali to leukaemia two months ago.

"Anyone going through cancer must stay strong and have hope," Amna said. "And this is my way of giving that to them."

She was among 42 women and girls at JetSet Salon last Saturday who donated locks to patients receiving chemotherapy as part of the Hair for Hope campaign.

The initiative gives the tresses to Beautiful Lengths, a partnership between the hair-care maker Pantene and the American Cancer Society, which gives thousands of wigs to low-income women living with cancer.

Lola Lopez of Volunteer in Dubai, the event's organiser, said the campaign marked the launch of the concept in the UAE.

"We noticed that this was something done all around the world but not here in the region," Ms Lopez said.

"Women who wear artificial wigs often feel uncomfortable and self- conscious. Although others may not notice, it is important that these individuals are confident and feel that they are part of the community."

Ms Lopez, who also works on a project called Care for Cancer Patients, said she hoped the wigs would be donated to patients in the UAE. The organisers were looking at regional wig makers.

"The women here are just as deserving of this opportunity," she said. "They need the same support and face the same emotional challenges."

One of these women was Lilian Colge, a housewife from India who was diagnosed with cancer in 2003. Ms Colge began chemotherapy the following year and lost her hair.

She said wigs in Dubai were either very expensive or very uncomfortable. While a synthetic wig cost Ms Colge about Dh300, a wig made of natural hair would have cost thousands.

A synthetic wig "would get very sweaty and itchy, and I couldn't style it the way I wanted to", she said. "If they bring this here [Beautiful Lengths wigs], everything would be different. Something where I could wear my daughter's hair would be amazing."

For many of the volunteers long hair is part of their culture. Shoba Sachin, 51, from India, has been growing her hair for her entire life.

"The moment I read about this initiative in the paper, I made an appointment," Mrs Sachin said. "It was a natural instinct. If there was ever a reason to cut my hair, this would be it."

Mrs Sachin was anxious about her husband's reaction to having 30cm chopped off her tresses. But she said he gave his loving support.

"He was really shocked but happy that I did something for a good cause," she said. "Now he just keeps staring at me and smiling."

But not everyone is eligible to donate. The hair must be untouched by dye or any other treatments, said Patrick Shannon, the salon's regional manager and artistic director. The hair must also be a minimum of 20cm long.

"Virgin" hair makes for a better quality wig and guarantees a natural look, Mr Shannon said.

"Wigs are made from a combination of hair so all the hair must be bleached to reach a uniform colour," he said. "That is difficult with chemically treated hair."

Amna's cousin Naz MJ, 23, was disappointed to discover she could not donate her locks in tribute to little Moazzam Ali because she used a semi-permanent hair dye.

"I still remember when my little cousin put his hand through his hair and pulled it out, only to find strands of hair between his fingers," said Naz, a medical student. "He died in my arms. I would never cut my hair except for this reason."

She had a haircut as a symbolic memorial to him, and her gesture was a solid contribution, Mr Shannon said.

Although her strands would not be donated for wigs, the cost of her trim will go towards making hairpieces.

"At the end of the day, it is the cause that counts," Mr Shannon said. "We just want to get the concept out there and slowly expand so that we can serve patients here in the UAE."