Volunteers who are interested can cut the hair measuring 30 cm and donate them at the IMA office.
Hair donation drive by Women Doctors’ Wing of IMA Coimbatore chapter to commemorate National Cancer awareness month
Coimbatore: Women who are battling cancer and who go through chemotherapy get tonsured. This brings down their level of confidence. Wigs, which are an alternative are expensive making them a not preferred choice for many women, who already pay huge bills for chemotherapy.
To help such women, lead a normal life and to commemorate the National Cancer Prevention Awareness Month, which is observed in February, the Women Doctors’ Wing of Coimbatore chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA), in partnership with Cherian Foundation, is organising a month-long hair donation drive. Women from all walks of life are invited to come ahead and donate hair.
The hair donation drive was inaugurated on Sunday morning at the IMA Coimbatore chapter premises and on the debut day alone more than 20 women donated their hair for the noble cause. On the sidelines of the event, Dr. S. Karthick Prabhu, Tamil Nadu, State Association Secretary of IMA and Chairman for the Nursing Home Board (Hospital Association of Coimbatore), in conversation with SimpliCity said “the donation drive is organised to support women cancer patients with a wig who would otherwise not purchase one.
Doctors say that more than 50 donors are expected to donate hair for the cancer patients today. The donors include doctors, public and medical students. Women who volunteer to donate, will have 30cms of their hair cut off. This will be converted into a wig by the Chennai-based Cherian Foundation who would distribute it free of cost to the needy cancer patients.” he said.
This is the first time that an IMA chapter is organising such a drive. The organisers are hopeful that motivated by the response of the event, other IMA chapters will also follow suit. The IMA Coimbatore chapter plans to host a felicitation ceremony to recognise the participating donors. The hair donation drive is the brain child of one Mrs. Shree Harani who has in the past donated her hair for this cause. Moved by the cause, she initiated the donation drive at the IMA Coimbatore chapter.
The organisers have no targets in mind, when it comes to the number of donors. However, they are positive that in the days to come, more number of women will come ahead and participate in the drive. The drive is organised at the IMA Coimbatore chapter premises. However, those who are unable to reach the stated location can make the donation at the patterning salons.
Volunteers can also cut their hair in their home or salon and provide them to the IMA office. Dial 8098812344 for more details regarding this campaign.