The Shave to Save at Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital
On the damp wet morning of May the 22nd, fourteen
inspirational individuals bared all in the name of charity. Now, I know that
the immediate imagery cast of this event may seem bewildering but let me explain.
These individuals shaved off every strand of hair on their heads, baring pale
white skin, a hair style most hadn't fashioned since the day they were born.
Firstly, I'd imagine one may question 'how did this raise money for charity?'.
Well, those who sported the hair-free look had spent the weeks leading up to
the event running about collecting sponsorships from people, and in the end
this totalled at a whopping RM60,000!
All the participants before the shavers were whipped out
The RM60,000 raised went to Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital to aid them in
paying off a loan for an Image-Guided Radiation Therapy machine, a machine that
is used to help better deliver radiation therapy to cancerous tumors. This
machine differs from chemotherapy as it is far more effective at targeting
solely the cancerous cells and organs, making it less painful with fewer side
effects.
Lindsey Kerr thoroughly enjoying his haircut
Most of us are very unlikely to even consider shaving off all the hair
on our head due to vanity but not these amazing individuals. When they decided
to go ahead with the event, none had a second thought about going bald for a
good cause and it would surprise most to know that the main organizers of this
event were girls. Yes, out of the total of 14 participants, 4 of them were
girls all with long hair that flowed past their shoulders. All couldn't care less
about losing their luscious locks as in the end everyone was a part of an
inspirational group of people who managed to raise that RM60,000.
One of the girls, Sheau Yun Lim
Those who took part in the event were very grateful to have hairdressing
sponsor Chez-Ann who were there to help chop off all that hair. The girls did
not want their ponytails to go to waste and all of them wanted to send them off
to Locks of Love. This is an organization that takes the hair donated to them,
and uses it to make natural looking wigs for children suffering from any
diagnosis that causes hair loss. This is a non-profit organization which provides
for financially disadvantaged children in the USA and Canada. Unfortunately
only hair that was long enough could be packed into envelopes, posted and
donated to Locks of Love so only one lucky plait made it across the Atlantic.
Off with the plait
Paige Wilton-Mar and Freya Kulasegram
The last bits of hair being shaved off
One of the participants, Freya Kulasegram gave me some insight into how
the whole experience was for her when I asked her how it all felt:
“How did it feel?
That's really hard to say. Honestly, it felt kind of surreal. It was strange. I
was sort of caught in a limbo between excitement and utter nervousness, if that
makes sense. Now, it feels...kind of freeing actually. People
keep telling me I suit the short hair - it's growing back really fast! I do
miss having hair though, it's like being pulled out of your comfort zone. I would definitely do it again!”
Freya Kulasegram
Overall, the event ran smoothly and by the end of it there were 14 pale
newly shaved heads gleaming beneath the florescent lights. Bald statements were
made and a hefty sum of money was donated to Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital.
Three bald boys
This
experience is one that both the hospital and the participants will hold in
their hearts for many years to come. Well done to all the those and their hard
work that made this event possible.
The shaven
Article by Sorcha May Li Leow
Photographs by Brittany Wilton-Mar