Dubai: On World Cancer Day, which is being observed today, UAE students have embarked on a campaign for hair donation. The students plan to donate their hair to cancer patients who need it under the umbrella of Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP) — a non-profit organisation founded in 1999.

FOCP is a member of different international and regional organisations, including the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) based in Geneva — Switzerland, The American Cancer Society, The NCD Alliance and Kuwait-based Gulf Federation for Cancer Control. FoCP is also an affiliate of local health bodies such as UAE Ministry of Health, Abu Dhabi Health Authority, Sharjah Health Authority and Dubai Health Authority.

At least seven schools in UAE are part of the hair donation initiative and at the helm of this campaign is Premi Mathew, founder, Hair for Hope India. “More and more schools are joining the movement as boys grow their hair just to donate. It has become a ritual at some schools in the UAE as every year, groups of boys make it a point to donate their hair.”

Meet one of the UAE’s youngest hair donors — Taksh Jain, just two years and ten months old. His mother Neha Jain, a home-maker, said she was so proud of her boy who did not know entirely why he was growing his hair, but just said he wanted to give his hair for a good cause. “My older daughter Mishika, now eight years old, donated her hair in November 2019. There was a campaign in her school and she wanted to donate her hair. She used to talk about it at home with us. My son used to listen to that and started telling us that he too wanted to give his hair like his sister. I was touched and started growing his hair,” explained Neha.

“We are growing his hair until it reaches a good length for donation. He is not complaining about his long hair. My children have inspired me so much that I too donated my hair for this good cause,” said Neha who belongs to Kota, a city in Rajasthan, India.

Anilekh Ramchandran, 17, a grade 12 student of Our Own High School — Al Warqa has been growing his hair for the last one year. “Other boys and girls were doing it and I thought why not. Last year, the pandemic happened and I used it as a good excuse not to visit the barber shop for a hair cut. Instead, I have been growing my hair. It pained me to see so many women with cancer have to deal with hair loss. I am happy to do this and if I can make a difference to one person, it will mean a lot to me.”

Sooryavarth Suresh Kumar, 12, a student of Grade 6 at Gems New Millennium School in Al Khail said he too was inspired to grow his hair after attending an event at the Indian Consulate in Dubai when a group of cancer survivors spoke of how they felt uncomfortable losing their hair after chemotherapy. “Since then, I have been growing my hair. It is challenging to have long hair as a boy. Friends come home and poke fun sometimes at me, but I take all that in good humour. They also appreciate the good cause for which I am growing my hair.”

Sooryavarth said he has dry skin. “My scalp has to be maintained even more as a result. So I give it a good nourishment. Right now, my hair is eight inches long. I will grow it for another year or two before donating.”

Another young boy, Tanmay Guruprasad Atreyas, 12, a Grade 8 student at Emirates International Jumeirah, just cut his hair last month. “It was all of 14 inches and I am going with my parents this weekend to donate my hair to Friends of Cancer Patients. I had grown my hair for three years. I miss it, but I am glad that it is going for a good cause.”

According to Mathew, 68 girls and 61 boys of Gems Modern Academy have already donated their hair for this good cause. “It is a ritual there for boys to grow their hair to donate every year.”

Hitansh Hasit Shah, 12, Year 7 student at Gems Winchestor, grew his hair for a year, then cut it to donate it to FOCP. “On May 2, 2019, I started growing my hair and finally cut it last year. I donated 12 inches of hair and felt very proud doing so. I would grow my hair again for such a good cause.”