15 Abu Dhabi women donate hair to make wigs for cancer patients

ABU DHABI: In a rare gesture of empathy with the sufferings of the cancer patients who had lost their hair to chemotherapy, a group of over a dozen women from Abu Dhabi donated their hair to help make wigs for cancer patients.

Women who donated their hair are the members of the Mortho Mariyam Samajam, the women’s wing of the St George Jacobite Syrian Simhasana Cathedral Al Ain.

“This is an annual event. We also held a blood donation camp and health awareness class. However, this is for the first time that we have joined the ‘Hair for Hope’ campaign. It was Mercy Varghese, a member, who thought about this and we all supported the idea. We decided to donate 17 inches of hair. Sadly, I couldn’t be part of it as my hair isn’t long enough,” group secretary Joyce John said.

The organisers said there was an enthusiastic response from church members.

A Muslim resident Surumi Surum is the only person to completely shave her hair.

Surumi came to know about the event through social media and joined the church’s campaign.

“I am a normal housewife but felt there’s much I can contribute to the society. I came to know about this initiative and got had support from my family. This is all I can do so I donated all my hair,” said Surumi, an inspired member of Facebook page ‘Malayali Mums Middle East’.

She had full support from her husband, Shihab, and daughter. “This is for a very noble cause,” the husband added while clicking photos as the beautician chopped Surumi’s hair.

Trustee Sheela Jacob said: “It is a sad and disheartening sight to see cancer patients losing hair. It is a nightmarish experience for them and we wanted to do our bit. With this initiative, we are observing both the breast cancer awareness month and the ‘Year of Giving’ drive,” Sheela said.