An example of bringing smiles on people’s faces was set by the Kalyan Mathrusangam of Kalyan Eparchy, on 10th March 2019, by organizing a hair donation drive for cancer patients at St. Thomas Cathedral Church, Kalyan west, which was much hyped about as movie actress Manju Warrier supported the event wholeheartedly, asking her followers and fans to go donate their hair and bring about a smile on the faces of people fighting severe illnesses. Many people donated happily and the event was a grand success.
Yet another example and an inspiration is Ahana the younger daughter of Mr. Jospeh and Elsy Puthenpurackal, a second-year student of BA in English Literature from Uppukulam in Palakkad. She can be called ordinary if it’s not for her ability and willingness to truly empathize with the ones in need and go to extreme lengths to help even when she wouldn’t know who the aid reaches. Ahana gave her family and friends a shocker when she decided to go bald and donate all of her lovely hair to Kerala Hair Donations (Hair Bank) for cancer patients.
It was when she went for a course to Manchery that she met Pavya who just casually among other things, told Ahana about a hair donation camp conducted in her school once. Since then, she has been eagerly wanting to donate her hair to some legitimate organization that would reach it to the people fighting cancer and undergoing chemotherapy. While girls her age worry most and are conscious about their hair and beauty, Ahana was no exception. She even had made a pact with her elder sister Alana, asking her to let her permanently straighten her hair with Alana’s first salary. But eventually, the burning desire in her to do some good, surpassed it all.
Being a member of The Pain and Palliative Care Society, Ahana was already helping severely sick people going to their houses, cleaning them up, giving them medicines and dressing their wounds. With her father’s brother battling cancer, she was exposed to the pain and suffering faced by the patients – both physical and mental. Having heard of and watching women who, after chemo, losing their hair – an essential part of beauty according to today’s beauty standards; have lost self-confidence and wouldn’t even go out of the house or talk to anyone, Ahana tried finding out more about hair donation whilst getting to know that a wig costs around 25 thousand rupees. She said, “The treatment itself costs loads of money and puts financial pressure on the family of the suffering. The people who can afford a wig would buy it but those who can’t would try not to think about it and move on”.
Though the part where she cut her hair was everything but easy, the path to it was a little difficult because this was a decision not taken after enough thinking. She said that if she’d given it too much thought or asked more people for opinions, she would’ve changed her mind. Even when Ahana found the perfect organization on Facebook to donate and spoke to them after making up her mind, she prayed. There seemed to have been a little worry that stayed with her till a day before and she asked confirmation from God. Ahana told her family about this decision a day prior to the cutting.
While her mother was uncertain and hesitant about it as she thought Ahana would end up regretting; her father was supremely supportive, who told her that she was 18 years old and that she could take a decision for herself now. Ahana then went to church and spoke to the Vicar of her parish Rev. Fr. Justin Kolamkanny, who was more than willing to support her with the decision and told her to go ahead with it. After more of praying on “D – Day”, she reached home and people from the Kerala Hair Donations (Hair Bank) were at her doorstep at around 11 am. Her mother and sister were upset but also hoping Ahana wouldn’t want her hair back after chopping it off.
Finally, her hair was off of her head and she was the happiest person in the room. When asked if she missed her hair, she said she didn’t and told us how she only had her hair to give them now and that she was happy she could do the least to bring a smile on someone’s face. “The fact that someone at someplace is smiling because of me is enough satisfaction. I wouldn’t have been able to do this after marriage. So this was the right time and my hair will grow at any given time unlike the patients undergoing chemo”, she said.
After the whole event and her summer vacation, it was yesterday that she first went to college. While her best friend cried her heart out on seeing Ahana bald, her Principal, Vice – principal, teachers, classmates, and friends were all extremely proud of her good deed and heart. She was showered with hugs and kisses from teachers.
Ahana believes that whatever good one hand does should not be known to the other hand. Even though she didn’t want to publicize it and let everyone know, the facebook page of the organization posted pictures of her and tagged her which lead to a lot more people knowing of her heartwarming deed and wanting to donate. To her surprise, a few of her classmates also took a decision to donate their hair. She now says that if looking at her, someone decides to donate their hair, then she’s more than happy about it.
When asked what message she has to give to the youth today, being an active member of the Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM), she said, “Jesus only did good for the others. There are a lot of cancer patients. Try to do the least of what you can. You can do the most in your youth. Pray always and decide to do little things for others”.
Written by Ms. Monica Jose
