Hair company donates wigs to cancer patients in Nyeri Kenya

Nyeri, Kenya: About 50 women who are cancer survivors in Nyeri County have a reason to smile after a well-wisher donated high end wigs to them after they lost their hair to chemotherapy treatment.

Micore International Hair Company donated 42 wigs for patients undergoing chemotherapy in a campaign to support breast cancer survivors in the region.

Speaking during the ceremony held at the Nyeri Hospice facility, Micore International Hair Company founder Maryanne Wangari said the wigs were donated in an effort to give the women hope as they battle cancer.

"We are a hair and beauty products company based in Nairobi and we intend to visit more cancer centres and donate the wigs in our campaign to show support in the fight against cancer," Wangari said.

Breast Cancer survivor Elizabeth Njeri explained that for women battling cancer, the loss of their hair and their breasts is one of the most traumatic experiences of their treatment.

"A woman's hair is her crown and beauty and for most cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy, losing their hair is a blow to their self-esteem and many of us are forced to hide our heads under head scarfs and hats, "Njeri said.

Njeri who is also the coordinator of the Breast cancer survivors support group, said that the hair loss compounds on the stigmatization of cancer patients.

"Many women are facing rejection by family members and loss of hair makes it worse for the ladies who now feel shame because they no longer feel beautiful and feminine," Njeri said.

Nyeri County referral Hospital Nurse in charge of the Palliative care unit, Lydiah Warui, explained that chemotherapy drugs used to treat and kill cancer cells, has very high toxicity and unfortunately this leads to various side effects.

"As part of our counselling we often tell women that 90 percent of the patients lose their hair, and some of the women have refused to undergo treatment due to this side effect," Ms. Warui said.

She said it is not easy for many women to accept all the changes to their physical appearance which are sometimes as drastic as losing their breasts to surgery.

"Many women take it for granted that they have their hair but for cancer patients it is not a choice,  going bald is a fact they must endure, some of them have the hair grow back after cancer," Ms. Warui said.

For Breast Cancer survivor Rosemary Wanjugu, men play a vital role in helping women fight breast cancer.

"My husband saved my life when he noticed the lump in my breast and insisted I go to the hospital, and he accepted me even after I lost my hair and my breasts," Wanjugu said.

She noted that men need to accept their female relatives who are going through cancer treatment and encourage them even as the physical appearance begin to change due to the treatment.

Ms. Wangari said that the company would also be donating wigs to Machakos Hospice next month as they travel around the country.