Cut for a Cause, a project designed to collect hair cuttings to fashion wigs for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, was an unqualified success, says organiser Vitra Rampersad-Blake.
A mother of two whose own mother is a cancer survivor, Rampersad-Blake embarked on Cut For A Cause for two primary reasons. She always wanted to "do something" to ease the suffering of cancer patients after seeing the pain of her mother. The opportunity only presented itself when she had to mount a project as part of the requirements for her course study in events management at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business.
"I am really grateful to my family, friends and acquaintances, as well as cancer survivors and their families who all pitched in to make this project a really touching and heart-warming experience. It was a true demonstration of caring on their part," said Rampersad-Blake, at Couva West Secondary School recently.Cut For A Cause was held to show appreciation to those who donated hair cuttings which will go toward making wigs for cancer patients.
The hair will be sent to the Cancer Society of T&T which will then ship it off to the United States for processing into wigs.It was the second occasion that Synthenia Myers, of Princes Town, was donating her hair for such a cause. "I do not have any relatives who suffer from cancer but I think it is a wonderful gesture to help someone who is in such a situation. I really grow my hair to a certain length so I could donate it. It is the second time I am doing so," said Myers, whose donated hair was 13 inches long.
It was the first time for Gayatri Maraj, of Esperanza, Couva. "My hair-stylist knew about the project and suggested that I donate my hair cuttings since my hair grows very quickly. You feel good knowing you are helping someone," said Maraj. An administrative officer at Holy Faith Convent, Couva, Rampersad-Blake intends to continue doing her part in helping cancer patients, in whatever way she can, in the future.
Cut For A Cause also featured cancer awareness booths mounted by insurance company Pan American Life's Cancer Plus Plan, the Oncology Department of the Southern Medical Cancer Support Group (SMARA Foundation). There were demonstrations on hair-growth herbal treatment by Trinbago Hair Solutions of Cascade, as well as make-up stylist Ria Neptune-Williams, of Chase Village, Chaguanas.