50 donate hair to support cancer patients at Bathinda AIIMS
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, organised a novel community drive for hair donation to support cancer patients on Wednesday. A total of 50 doctors, paramedic staff and family members of the cancer patients donated hair at the event.
The stock of donated hair will be dispatched to New Delhi where a voluntary organisation, Join Together, will make wigs by using the natural hair. 'These wigs will come to AIIMS for free distribution among the patients under treatment at the institute. A team of professional hairdressers gave voluntary services for today's event,' said Dr Sapna Marcus Bhatty, additional professor in the radiation oncology department and brain behind the initiative.
Bhatty said the department also manages a hair bank where volunteers can donate hair on any day. 'We have been organising the campaign since 2021 on a small scale, but it was hit due to Covid-19 outbreak. It is the first time that the faculty members actively joined the drive, which gave it a boost,' she added.
On the occasion, cancer patients and survivors participated in cultural events to create awareness of shunning taboos associated with the disease.
A woman patient undergoing treatment for brain tumour and glaucoma lauded the institute for holding the programme as part of their campaign to enhance cancer patients' confidence and self-esteem. 'Besides a quality treatment, the doctors are cheering us up and encouraging us to maintain a positive approach,' she said.
'I have been growing hair for the last 10 years and my look completely changed after a haircut. But it was a wonderful experience for me,' said another donor, an MBBS student.
AIIMS executive director Dr Meenu Singh said the Bathinda institute is the only among the AIIMS across the country to conduct such a community programme for cancer patients.
'For women, particularly, the pain and suffering notwithstanding, losing their precious hair is most excruciating. It affects mental health, leads to depression and erodes the resilience to fight back against the disease. But a community drive like hair donation will help them in leading a dignified life,' said the director.
She further said that the central institute is working to establish an advanced cancer facility with state-of-the-art technology to treat patients from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
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