An increasing number of people are deciding to cut their hair to give it away as a donation to children suffering from pediatric cancer.
Child patients undergoing chemotherapy for leukemia lose all of their hair as a side effect of the intensive treatment. Children manage to cope with this change in the hospital setting, but once they return home, they tend to shy away from their friends and undergo a lot of emotional and psychological stress due to their changed appearance.
Several years ago, when stories of child patients going through rough recovery periods began to circulate through various social media channels, it moved the hearts of people across the country. From young high school students to office workers, and even soldiers, these stories spurred a nation-wide movement. In the first eight months of 2016 alone there have been over 10,015 donations. Considering that in 2007, this number stood at 73, this growth is rather significant.
A police officer named Kim Sun Kyung, affiliated with the Anyang Dongan Police Station, chops off 25 centimeters of hair every two years for this very cause. Starting in 2009, she has since donated more hair in 2012 and in 2014.
"During the Christmas holidays in 2009, I heard about a child patient who had lost all her hair during chemotherapy, but her family couldn't afford to buy a wig. I'd been growing out my hair for three years at the time, but at that moment, I decided to cut it all off and give it to charity. I wanted to make my contribution to a bigger cause."
The movement has since caught on among teenage students, as well. Last June, four students from Weolbong High School in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do Province, donated their hair around the same time. One student, Park Na Hyun, said, "When I saw a child cancer patient being teased for not having any hair while watching the news, I thought about ways that I could help make a change. The minute I found out about hair donations, I decided to go for it." Another student who donated her hair said she had already sent her hair for donation on two other occasions.
The Korean Association for Children with Leukemia and Cancer (KACLC), in cooperation with Himo, a wig manufacturing company, is responsible for organizing the hair donation campaign. Thanks to the many donors, the KACLC is able to give wigs to around seven to 10 child cancer patients each year. These wigs, in turn, give the children the gentle push they need to go back to school and mingle with their friends in the playground.
Between 30 and 50 hair donations are needed to make one wig that can be worn by one child patient. The hair needs to be at least 25 centimeters long, and it should not have been permed or dyed, as treated hair cannot withstand the manufacturing process.
"Pediatric cancer, including leukemia, is still the number one cause of death among children. There are around 1,600 cases of new child cancer patients each year," said a representative from the KACLC. "The support provided by the community is a beacon of hope for patients and their families, and we appreciate that an atmosphere of love and caring has been built through active donation."
More information about the KACLC's hair donation initiative can be found at the association's homepage below:
http://www.soaam.or.kr/donation/hair.php
By Lee Hana
Korea.net Staff Writer
hlee10@korea.kr
Child patients undergoing chemotherapy for leukemia lose all of their hair as a side effect of the intensive treatment. Children manage to cope with this change in the hospital setting, but once they return home, they tend to shy away from their friends and undergo a lot of emotional and psychological stress due to their changed appearance.
Several years ago, when stories of child patients going through rough recovery periods began to circulate through various social media channels, it moved the hearts of people across the country. From young high school students to office workers, and even soldiers, these stories spurred a nation-wide movement. In the first eight months of 2016 alone there have been over 10,015 donations. Considering that in 2007, this number stood at 73, this growth is rather significant.
Three hair donors are featured on page 12 of the JoongAng Ilbo on Aug 19. Kim Sun Kyung (left), a police officer at the Anyang Dongan Police Station has donated her hair three times over the past seven years. Two students from Seoseok High School in Hongcheon, Gangwon-do Province hold up the hair they will donate after a cut on Aug. 5.
A police officer named Kim Sun Kyung, affiliated with the Anyang Dongan Police Station, chops off 25 centimeters of hair every two years for this very cause. Starting in 2009, she has since donated more hair in 2012 and in 2014.
"During the Christmas holidays in 2009, I heard about a child patient who had lost all her hair during chemotherapy, but her family couldn't afford to buy a wig. I'd been growing out my hair for three years at the time, but at that moment, I decided to cut it all off and give it to charity. I wanted to make my contribution to a bigger cause."
The movement has since caught on among teenage students, as well. Last June, four students from Weolbong High School in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do Province, donated their hair around the same time. One student, Park Na Hyun, said, "When I saw a child cancer patient being teased for not having any hair while watching the news, I thought about ways that I could help make a change. The minute I found out about hair donations, I decided to go for it." Another student who donated her hair said she had already sent her hair for donation on two other occasions.
The Korean Association for Children with Leukemia and Cancer (KACLC), in cooperation with Himo, a wig manufacturing company, is responsible for organizing the hair donation campaign. Thanks to the many donors, the KACLC is able to give wigs to around seven to 10 child cancer patients each year. These wigs, in turn, give the children the gentle push they need to go back to school and mingle with their friends in the playground.
Between 30 and 50 hair donations are needed to make one wig that can be worn by one child patient. The hair needs to be at least 25 centimeters long, and it should not have been permed or dyed, as treated hair cannot withstand the manufacturing process.
"Pediatric cancer, including leukemia, is still the number one cause of death among children. There are around 1,600 cases of new child cancer patients each year," said a representative from the KACLC. "The support provided by the community is a beacon of hope for patients and their families, and we appreciate that an atmosphere of love and caring has been built through active donation."
More information about the KACLC's hair donation initiative can be found at the association's homepage below:
http://www.soaam.or.kr/donation/hair.php
By Lee Hana
Korea.net Staff Writer
hlee10@korea.kr
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