Diya and Liya have cut their hair to be made into wigs for cancer patients as part of the Ashakiranam Cancer Care Campaign of Caritas India.

These five-year-old and 10-year-old girls from Ezhupunna of Alleppey District have donated their hair to the Sahrudaya hair bank, the first hair bank in Kerala launched by the Welfare Services Ernakulam (Sahrudaya) under the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly. 

This hair bank is a noble initiative to support cancer patients who have lost their hair due to the exposure of radiation during their treatment. The hair for making wigs are collected through camps and voluntarily donation by individuals.

women suffering from cancer goes through tremendous trauma and anxiety and loosing hair adds their psychological stress. The hair donation is a great relief for patients in improving their mental stability and help in their treatment by adding their confidence. 

In Kerala, the cost of making a wig is around Rs. 15000/- which is an additional burden for cancer patients due to their financial problems. Now, Sahrudaya hair bank will meet the expense for making the wig and they plan to collaborate with the nearby SHGs to make wigs by giving the training to promote self-employment facility. Sahrudaya has already received above 500 hair donations from the kind hearts in the past few years and donate it to Thrissur, Amala Hospital for wig making for the cancer patients.

Caritas India has launched Ashakiranam Cancer care campaign in response to the alarming rate of cancer incidences in the state. Over the years the campaign has emerged as a movement to create consciousness and awareness of Cancer and gather support from different walks of life.

A special event was organised with the coordination and support of catechism department of St. Raphael church and St. Raphael higher secondary school, Ezhupunna. The Sahrudaya hair bank was inaugurated by a well-known Malayalam actoress Ms. Asha Sharath who in the event through her words expressed it as our responsibility to shower compassion to the cancer patient which is as important as the precautions that we take to prevent the illness. She also added, through events like Keshadanam, it will be a good motivation for children to develop compassion towards the one’s suffering, right from their childhood. 

In this event, more than a hundred participants including children and adults donated their hair in support of this initiative. The Vicar of St. Raphael Church, Ezhupunna Fr. Paul Cherupilly delivered the presidential address and Fr. Jose Koluthuvellil, Director Sahrudaya shared about this initiative with the people. Anandhu Shaji, DLO of Ashakiranam cancer care campaign, Domenic Savio Thomas, Sr. Ancy Puthenpuraikkal and Rani Chacko also addressed the gathering.