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Cancer charity locks for
help to head up service
A NEW service is being launched in the city to help cancer sufferers cope with one of the most devastating side- effects of the disease – hair loss.
A NEW service is being launched in the city to help cancer sufferers cope with one of the most devastating side- effects of the disease – hair loss.While most people admire former Big Brother star Jade Goody’s courage to brave the public eye and hold her head high in front of the cameras, many men and women would not have the audacity to bare all.
The 27-year-old mother-of-two’s story has been an inspiration to millions of people around the world after she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and went through the devastation of losing her beloved locks as a result of her chemotherapy treatment.
Now, Breast Cancer Care, a charity that provides support for sufferers, is launching its HeadStrong campaign, which offers patients practical information and support for hair loss, in Peterborough.
And the charity is looking for kind-hearted and willing volunteers, who may even be former cancer patients, to roll out the service in the city.
The new initiative, which is designed to boost self-esteem and teach people the practical techniques and information needed to cope with hair loss, will be launched at city’s Edith Cavell Hospital in Bretton in the spring.
The service works by patients booking an appointment for a one-hour consultation where they will be given hair and scalp advice.
They will also be shown how to tie headscarves and the alternatives to wearing a wig, including hair pieces, fringes and other headwear.
Practical support manager for Breast Cancer Care Gill Swain-Coad said: “We already run this service in 19 centres across the UK, and people who have used it find it incredibly useful.
“When a person is diagnosed with cancer, often the most devastating part of the news is that they could lose their hair, particularly with women.
“Nothing can really prepare you for news that you may lose your hair. Therefore, this service is incredibly important, as it helps to boost their self-confidence and it is also one less thing the person has to worry about during such a traumatic time.
“It is an advisory service for men and women who have been diagnosed with any type of cancer, are receiving treatment and who have lost or know that they will lose their hair because of the disease.
“We chose Peterborough because there are already similar services at Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge and in Norwich, and Peterborough fits nicely in the middle and means cancer patients won’t have to travel as far.”
Anyone can volunteer, including people who have had cancer themselves. However, they are asked not to volunteer until at least two years on from their diagnosis so their own feelings are not impacted on the client.
nFor more information about becoming a volunteer, call Gill on 0207 960344.
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