Magnificent seven staff at centre help ease the trauma of hair loss...
By David Bateman
A NEW service is aiming to help women facing the anguish of losing their hair due to cancer treatment.
The HeadStrong initiative, run by Breast Cancer Care Scotland, has opened at the charity's centre in Elderslie Street, Glasgow.
It will be run by seven volunteers, including several who have suffered cancer and hair loss. They have been specially trained to run the HeadStrong sessions.
Linda now part of a vital serviceWhen mum-of-two Linda McDowell was diagnosed with breast cancer eight years ago, it turned her life upside down.The 60-year-old from Twechar, near Kilsyth, faced the realisation that she would lose her hair during chemo. Once the hair loss started she felt she had no escape from her ordeal. She said: "You worry how it's going to feel, what's going to happen you can't control it. "It varies from woman to woman, but for me it really hit home that I had cancer. When you look in the mirror, there's no escaping it. "It seems a long way when you're going through the treatment, and even once you've come to terms with it you still worry about what to wear on your head." Linda made her own head-scarves, as she failed to find any suitable ones in shops. She is now a volunteer at HeadStrong helping women in this "vital service" by providing a mix of practical and emotional support to help them regain confidence. Linda added: "Hopefully this can fill a void, as nurses can only do so much." |
One of the centre's volunteers, breast cancer survivor and mum-of-three Joy Malaly, 51, of Rutherglen, said: "Hair loss affects your whole image.
"You've already had breast surgery and that's all hidden, but this is a visible sign you've got a cancer. It affects you on all different levels."
She added: "Looking back, at one point I didn't want to go out of the house because of the way I looked. You just can't imagine how much hair loss affects you."
More than 4000 women in Scotland are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
Most women suffering from cancer go through the traumatic experience of losing their hair due to the side-effects of chemotherapy treatments.
It often affects the individual's self-confidence almost as much as the initial cancer diagnosis.
The time is often one of the most distressing of the whole cancer treatment experience, leaving women feeling vulnerable and exposed.
The new service hopes to ease the suffering of these women by offering practical and emotional support.
The volunteers will give them tips about looking after their hair and scalp before, during and after treatment.
They will also demonstrate scarf-tying techniques and offer sufferers the chance to try on a range of hats, scarves, fringes and hairpieces.
The volunteers will be available to talk through any concerns individuals may have about losing their hair.
The free, hour-long appointments are open to women with any kind of cancer and are available every Wednesday. Another of the volunteers, 48-year-old Debbie Paul of Newton Mearns said: "It really is a fabulous service. Nine years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and I had nowhere to turn.
"The last thing you want to do when you lose your hair is go shopping, so this service is great in providing a private place for people to gather, even just for a chat.
"The fact that some of our volunteers, including myself, have come through the treatment offers the women a wee ray of hope that they will come through it."
In Scotland, 4079 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year and about 500 of them turn to Breast Cancer Care Scotland for help.
They provide a number of ways for women to gain support, including information sessions, forums for younger women, prosthesis fitting, and the new service, HeadStrong.
Kerry Craig, services manager for Breast Cancer Care Scotland, said: "Hair loss can understandably have a massive impact on people, and so to know that there's a specific service to help you learn to cope with this common side effect of cancer treatment will offer great support.
"We've already recruited seven volunteers, but would be keen to hear from anyone else interested in becoming a volunteer. We offer full training and ongoing support, so people don't need any special experience."
To book a HeadStrong session, or to find out more about becoming a volunteer, contact Breast Cancer Care Scotland on 0845 077 1892.
