Women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment will now receive wigs to help rebuild their self-confidence.
This is in a new initiative by a women's lobby that has launched a funds drive to support their colleagues battling breast and other types of cancer.
The 'She’s Mercedes' launched the Surviving beautifully Walk at the Arboretum in Nairobi on Saturday to support women who have lost their hair during cancer treatment.
The group, initiated in 2018 and has 200 members, has partnered with Diana Aketch, the proprietor of Dee’s Hair & Beauty Salon, to support her initiative of donating wigs to affected women.
Aketch runs a surviving beautifully project by donating wigs to women who have lost their as they undergo chemotherapy.
“Hair is a crown of a woman. That is why we have partnered with Diana. We have seen what cancer patients. The burden of treating cancer is taking a toll on most families,” Ogutu said.
“We are trying to reach as many people as people. The cost of a wig is roughly Sh3,000 and we hope to touch as many as we can,” she added.
Aketch said she initiated the “Surviving Beautifully” with an aim of giving cancer survivors a makeover to help rebuild their self-confidence after battling the side effects of chemotherapy which includes hair loss, as a result of having cancer.
“We all reckon that cancer treatment is very expensive in general – medication, chemotherapy and diet among others. Some of the families are not able to afford makeovers or wigs as they struggle to barely survive and meet the treatment costs on a regular basis,” she said.
“I self-fund my project by either revamping gently used wigs that I receive as donations from my clients and friends,” she added.
She’s Mercedes is the Lady Chapter of Mercedes Benz Club Kenya (MBCK) and comprises owners of various models of Mercedes Benz.
“We decided that during this month of October which is breast cancer awareness month, to come together and run an initiative to create awareness around cancer, “chairlady Daisy Ogutu said.
“This year, we have decided to support women who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy,” she said.
Last year, the group partnered with the Kenyatta National Hospital where they donated cancer equipment and supported the facility’s Children’s cancer ward.
