14 Indian school teachers in UAE donate hair to student battling cancer

In a gesture of compassion, fourteen United Arab Emirates (UAE) based Indian school teachers on Thursday have donated their hair to support a grade five student with cancer.

A few months back, a 10-year-old girl of International Indian School, Baniyas West, Abu Dhabi, was diagnosed with cancer. She is now fighting leukemia at a hospital.

“We wanted to show that she is not alone in this fight. The entire school is with her. So, teachers, admin and supporting staff, overall, 14 people, donated their hair,” school principal Dr Beno Kurien told Khaleej Times.

The school has contacted Premi Mathew, founder of Hair for Hope India, to launch the event under the theme ‘For her… Our Little Angel’ and inspire others.

“I think this is the first time that teachers are donating their hair to cancer patients. They are also donating a smile. This is something that the world has never seen,” Khaleej Times quoted Premi Mathew, the founder of the Hair for Hope Foundation-India. Mathew himself is a cancer survivor.

Out of fourteen teachers and non-teaching staff of Indian school, twelve of them have donated their hair and two male teachers went bald to express their solidarity with her and donate a smile.

The fourteen teachers, who donated hairs are Vijaya Dialani, Christen Joy, Gabrielle Toledo, Remya A.C., Mary Anne, Myma Paga, Necie Catada, Teenu, Shanty, Sherra Lantin, and four male teachers are Afsal, Nagaraju, Vetrivel Velsamy and Jitheesh.

One of the male teachers who donated hair said, “In the world, they are many people who are suffering from cancer.. We have to support them and I am happy to be able to give her hair to bring a smile on her face”.

The donated hair will be turned into wigs and given directly to patients to give them the confidence to face society and the power to fight disease.