Trevor Sorbie Charity - My New Hair

I still have my hair. And I am really pleased and relieved. Right now it is one less thing to have to deal with. There is no guarantee it will stay the course of this round of treatment. And sadly at some point in the future it may actually go.

Despite some pretty aggressive chemotherapy treatments I am still yet to be bald. And for this I am so grateful. I have endured the extreme discomfort of several cold caps. Not right now, but I have previously experienced the sadness and pain of clumps of the stuff coming out in the shower and it being pretty thin. People always said they couldn't notice. I always half took this as an insult. Blatantly my hair looked pretty dry, thin and awful. And I liked to think it wouldn't normally look like that. But I know they were just trying to be kind. The other classic line is "you know it doesn't bother us if you loose your hair." To which I have responded: "Don't you get it? This isn't about you. It bothers ME!"

Since the Anna Valentine fashion show I have exchanged a few emails with Janet Ellis. She is so lovely. She was trying to get in touch with Trevor Sorbie himself to cut my wig for me, should it be needed. She has just got back in touch with me. Trevor Sorbie has just set up a charity called "My New Hair." It is a dedicated wig cutting service for cancer patients.

I think this is just totally fantastic. One of the most important things to make a wig look realistic is the cut, and that it is cut for you. I cannot tell you the stress I have considered of having to go into a local hairdressers where they are not used to having to deal with this stuff. To have to explain what is going on. To get that pitiful look. And then quite possibly be turned away because the hairdressers are not trained in this area.

The link the website is below. It looks like they are fairly new. But I for one will be visiting the salon in Percy Street as soon as it is needed.

I guess to an outsider it could possibly seem as though relative to everything else cancer patients go through - and the severity - then loosing your hair is not that bigger deal. From my point of view it is like another twist of an already very painful knife. Prisoners have their heads shaved. It is yet another thing that is personal and part of who you are, that is taken away from you. A bad hair day times a million. And such an outward sign that you carry the label of cancer. And a bad wig is a little consolation.

I think it is truly wonderful that Trevor Sorbie has recognised this as such an important area to helping someone who has cancer to be able to LIVE. To step outside the front door and not feel like you have a big "C" on your head. But rather an individual who is as entitled to a decent haircut as anyone else. I for one will be making a donation to support his charity.

http://www.mynewhair.org/Home.aspx