THE loss of her brother and his wife to cancer has motivated a Richards Bay woman to do something positive to assist others going through the same trauma.
Charmaine Barnes will on Saturday be snipping off her crowning glory as part of the ‘Hair for Hope’ fundraising project in conjunction with CANSA.
In partnership with Marie Claire and the Kindest Cut campaign, CANSA aims to receive enough ponytails to make 250 wigs for distribution to care centres country-wide, for cancer patients who lose their hair during chemotherapy treatment.
‘I have created this project in memory of my brother Daryl Hope and his wife Johanna, who both passed away as a result of cancer,’ said Charmaine.
‘So shortly after Daryl passed away in August 2011, I began the process of growing my hair.
‘It is now long enough and I will be shaving my head on 22 March, three days after Daryl’s birthday.
‘Our aim is to raise R50 000 by March 2015.
‘The ponytail has to be at least 22cm long, and the hair clean and dry for the donation.
‘To date we have raised R6 950 and we have R24 000 in pledges of R1 000 per month for the 12 month period from African Portside Services and The Outpost Restaurant & Bar.’
Charmaine is hoping to be joined by a queue of volunteer hair donors when she ‘makes the cut’ between 2pm and 3pm at the Boardwalk Inkwazi Woolworths entrance on Saturday.
‘Your donation can help make someone feel beautiful again.
‘We want to make a difference and bring hope,’ says Charmaine, who can be contacted on 083 3214759.
Anyone who would like to support this project can do so online at https://www.givengain.com/activist/109338/
