Dr Patricia Brown, an Anaesthetist, working at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, has cut her 60cm long hair to raise funds for new wigs for three young ladies battling hair loss.
Johannesburg, South Africa (13 October 2020) – On the 7th of November, Dr Patricia Brown will be cutting more than 60cm of her hair off in honour of three young ladies that have lost their hair.
All her life, Dr Patricia, has loved her long hair. It has been a part of her identity as a woman and what made her feel most beautiful. She has spent a lifetime growing her hair and keeping it at a beautiful length.
Partnering with A Few Grey Hairs, Patricia has agreed to chop off all her hair in a live social media event on the 7th of November 2020, to support the salon’s Hair with love initiative that encourages women of all ages to donate their hair to young girls in need.
She has set up a crowdfund and is hoping to raise R30,000 by the 7th of November. She will be using the funds to have three wigs made for three young ladies that have lost their hair.
Teagan Walsh 4-years-old lost her hair as a result of neuroblastoma treatment. Liane Ferreira 7-years-old and Lisa Venter 13-years-old, suffer from Alopecia totalis and Clauston syndrome, respectively. These conditions have left them with little to no hair, without the possibility of future hair growth.
Dr Patricia hopes to boost their confidence after going through so much with their illnesses.
Since the BackaBuddy campaign went live on the 29 September, Patrica has already raised over R20 000 with contributions from 30 donors both locally and abroad.
“As a healthcare worker, I have come across numerous children who have lost their hair as a result of chemotherapy or because they have Alopecia. Each time, I have wished that I could give them some of my hair, along with my strength so they can fight their circumstances. All a little girl wants is to feel normal, loved and beautiful” says Patricia
“I know that many parents are under huge financial pressure when their child is undergoing treatment and hair is often seen as a luxury that they cannot afford. I hope with my BackaBuddy campaign I can make their journey a little easier and hopefully inspire others to do the same” adds Patricia
A wig costs in the region of R30,000 so the hope is to raise enough through this crowdfund as well as through the sale of Dr Patricia’s hair.
“Funds generated from this campaign as well as through the sale of my hair will go toward funding the cost of the three wigs for our chosen recipients. One wig costs in the region of R30 000 and thus places them out of reach for many in need. This is especially true when the financial cost of cancer treatment is being balanced with a “luxury”.”
You can support the crowdfund here.