Hair for Hope

Description

Hair for Hope is an annual fundraising initiative, organized by the Children's Cancer Foundation, in order to raise funds and awareness of childhood cancer in Singapore. Participants who volunteer to join their cause will shave their heads bald. It is the only head-shaving event in Singapore and through this gesture, Hair for Hope aims to accomplish the following goals as mentioned below:

1. Create awareness of childhood cancer in Singapore
2. Show children with cancer and their families that they are not alone in their fight against cancer
3. Tell children with cancer that it is OK to be bald
4. Raise funds and help children with cancer and with their families
5. Build a community of support for children with cancer and their families

Hair for Hope believes every shaven head symbolizes the understanding of the difficulties faced by a child with cancer. The act of shaving helps to increase awareness of childhood cancer and also presents itself as a chance to amass monetary support from the public.

Origin

In 2003, 9 Children's Cancer Foundation volunteers decided to shave their heads to help garner support for children with cancer during Tulip Hearts Day, an annual Children's Cancer Foundation fundraising event, with the help of Lush Hair Creation’s hair stylists. $2000 in donation was raised towards Children's Cancer Foundation. The idea for Hair for Hope was born. On 27 August 2004, Hair for Hope was officially launched involving 73 volunteers raising up to $48,000 for Children's Cancer Foundation beneficiaries.

Works

Being an initiative of the Children’s Cancer Foundation, Hair for Hope is in its 13th year since 2003. Hair for Hope has both raised money for the Children’s Cancer Foundation’s beneficiaries and increased awareness for the foundation as well as Children’s Cancer.

Participants garner pledges for the cause with many individuals and groups signing up to give their support for the cause. They then have their heads shaven at the annual event typically held at the end of July. Hair for Hope also partners with many organisations who support the event through providing participants as well as other means. Hair from volunteers are also used to make wigs to raise funds too.

Having grown beyond a single event, there are now many satellite events held under the Hair for Hope banner. These events are organised by both public and private organisations and are non-concurrent to the main event.

Hair for Hope established the Hair for Hope Facebook page and Twitter account in April 2011 and Instagram account, more recently, in November 2014. Tapping into these social media outlets has allowed Hair for Hope to extend its reach with over 9,000 likes on Facebook and over 100 followers on Twitter and Instagram.

Reception

Since its inception in 2003 with only nine volunteers to shaving their heads and raising S$2,000 for the event, it has grew to 6656 shavees and achieved more than S$3.29 million in 2014. It has branched out and reached an unprecedented number of 53 satellite events organized by 33 corporate offices, 13 schools and 7 grassroot organization. In 2011, the event saw 547 females shave their heads, out of the 4238 shavees.

Controversy

The Hair for Hope has its fair share of controversy and debates. In 2013, three St Margaret’s Secondary School female students who took part in the Hair for Hope were instructed by their principal to wear wig to school. However, when the students failed to keep their promises, they were accompanied by parent volunteer to buy wig. This event drew many criticism from the netizens on the principal’s actions as this defies the spirit of Hair for Hope. After much clarification, the Education Minister at the time, Heng Swee Keat announced that the students will not have to wear wig.