For some, starting off the new year with a hair cut is a step in the right direction — new year, new do.
And if they accomplish that at Hennessey Salon in Richmond Centre salon this Sunday (Jan. 11) they will also be helping young cancer patients at the same time.
That’s where about 20 stylists will be on hand from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to snip and cut during the 4th annual Hennessey Hair “Do” which supports Wigs for Kids B.C. (W4K).
The hair cuts are provided for a minimum donation of $20, for men, to $40, for women. And every cent goes towards providing wigs, as well as medical supplies at BC Children’s Hospital, said Steveston’s Bev Friesen, chairwoman of Wigs For Kids BC.
“Wigs are not covered by MSP (Medical Services Plan),” Friesen said, “and they can cost upwards of $2,000 each.”
The anxiety caused by losing hair due to cancer treatments, or any other illness, can be significant, especially for youngsters, Friesen added.
“Losing my hair was huge. When you go into the hospital you kind of lose your identity – your sense of self,” said 19-year-old Wigs for Kids B.C. spokesperson and wig recipient Alex Walker in a press release. “You’re in clothes that aren’t yours and you’re doing things that you don’t normally do,” added
Her treatment included 13 rounds of chemotherapy that subjected her to debilitating nausea and near constant pain. But of all the things she had to deal with, the thing that upset her most was the loss of her beautiful, long brown hair.
“My wig gave me more confidence and allowed me to be myself again,” Walker said.
Each year, Wigs For Kids BC hands out 30 to 50 wigs. In addition, the charity donates any extra funds to pay for feeding supplies and medications — which are also not covered by MSP — for young patients once they have finished their cancer treatments.
“When a child leaves the hospital, sometimes after chemo they have a hard time swallowing food, so they need special pumps, formulas and tubes to get the food down to their stomachs,” Friesen said. “That costs pproximately $1,200 a month.
That can be a huge financial burden for families which are often already stretched to the limit, Friesen added.
When a child has a serious illness it takes an enormous toll on the entire family — both emotionally and financially,” she said. “The assistance we provide makes the family’s burden a little lighter so they can focus more of their time and energy on caring for their sick child.”
The fundraising event got started in 2006 when one of the stylists at Hennessey, Maria Karimani, who was involved with Wigs For Kids BC, suggested a cut-a-thon to help raise funds.
“There was a young cancer patient who was graduating high school and had lost all of her hair and we put together a small fundraiser to pay for a wig and we ended up raising $24,000,” Friesen said, adding the event then transferred to the salon a few years later.
In addition to the hair cutting at the Hennessey Hair “Do” donations of hair to help make wigs will also be accepted. All donations must be a minimum of eight inches long and chemically untreated.
Those who have raised at lease $40 in pledges to cut their hair will receive their trim for free.
Around 100 hair cutting appointments are done on the day.
To book an appointment, call Hennessey Salon at 604-482-3262.
For more information, visit wigsforkidsbc.com.
