Six-year-old donates her hair
“Mienke asked me why some of the patients do not have hair and I explained chemotherapy to her. She then wanted to cut her hair for those who do not have.”
At six, most children have their sights set on toys, TV, or perhaps friends.
Mienke Horn, on the other hand, is one of those youngsters who seems to look just a bit beyond the surface and innocent gratification.
In her heart lie the seeds of absolute compassion.
Mienke’s heartwarming story began last May, when she visited Hopelands Cancer Centre with her grandmother and cancer survivor, Marieta Scheepers.
On the trip home, she made a profound commitment.
“Mienke asked me why some of the patients do not have hair and I explained chemotherapy to her. She then wanted to cut her hair for those who do not have.”
At that point, Mienke and her family did research and found her hair would have to be at least 26 centimetres for the donation to be of use in manufacture of a wig.
It was a long year’s wait for Mienke.
Then finally, she visited a local hairdresser a few weeks ago and had 31 centimetres of smooth blonde hair snipped off and bagged.
Unfazed, Mienke even asked if more could be donated.
“My hair will grow back, but the patients have none.”
Commenting on her daughter’s commitment, mother Marni Horn said she was especially proud Mienke had taken the decision herself and stuck to her guns.
The hair is next sent via courier to CANSA’s Durban office.
From there, the donated hair is supplied to a company in the area for preparation of the hair and ultimately manufacturing of the wig, which a cancer patient will then utilise.
CANSA Newcastle’s Estella Naicker commended Mienke on the donation.
As for Mienke herself, her first action after cutting off the locks was to run around, shrieking with glee that she could feel the wind in her hair.
