BEIRUT: In the spirit of giving something of yourself to others, a non-governmental organization held a hair donation event Sunday to benefit children undergoing chemotherapy. Held by CrossTalk, an ecumenical Christian education group, at Le Royal Hotel in Dbayyeh, the event was the third such event hosted by the NGO in two years.
The hotel’s spa gave over their salon space for the afternoon, and each donor had to have at least 10cm cut off to donate to the Children’s Cancer Center Lebanon, where a volunteer makes wigs from the hair, which are then given to those patients who have lost their hair during treatment.
CrossTalk’s president, Rania Nasrallah, explained how the original idea came about. “We try to put into practise what we learn as part of our education here,” she said.
When the youth wing of the NGO, aged from 18-22, were at a spiritual retreat, “they decided to put their teachings into practice and to give up something that would affect them in a real way so they came up with the idea to give their hair, which is not easy to do.”
The first event proved very popular, and, Nasrallah said, “everyone who had contributed said that it didn’t feel like a normal day as it had just been filled with joy because they were giving something to others.”
Word of this event was spread via members of the NGO and through the group’s Facebook page. Youth volunteers from the group organized the entire event and were responsible for shampooing the donor’s hair before the cuts, but the 15 hairdressers – all professionals who had given up their Sunday afternoon – were both Christian and Muslim, Nasrallah said.
Many donors, Nasrallah said, had been personally affected by cancer, and had been inspired to contribute to the cause in some way. When Nasrallah approached a design company to make mugs as gifts for each donor, the owner wouldn’t let the NGO pay for them as his mother had recently died of cancer.
Before Sunday’s event started at 1 p.m. the NGO had already received donations of hair from around 100 people, those who had wanted their hair cut at their usual salon, or who couldn’t make it to the event itself.
Over 60 bookings had been made for the event, but Nasrallah expected around 100 in total, as many more turned up without reservations.
Rasash Salloum, 18, is a member of CrossTalk and heard about Sunday’s event through the organization. She had around 20 cm chopped off her originally waist-length hair.
“This is my first time taking part, but I don’t regret it at all. I’m just really happy to be doing something good for another person,” Salloum said.
Christina Attiyah, 19, heard about Sunday’s event through a friend who is a member of CrossTalk and she decided to take the plunge, having her long locks reduced to shoulder length, as a close friend recently died of cancer.
“At first I really wasn’t sure about it as I’ve always had very long hair and everyone knows me for my long hair, which was down to my waist,” she said.
The hotel’s spa gave over their salon space for the afternoon, and each donor had to have at least 10cm cut off to donate to the Children’s Cancer Center Lebanon, where a volunteer makes wigs from the hair, which are then given to those patients who have lost their hair during treatment.
CrossTalk’s president, Rania Nasrallah, explained how the original idea came about. “We try to put into practise what we learn as part of our education here,” she said.
When the youth wing of the NGO, aged from 18-22, were at a spiritual retreat, “they decided to put their teachings into practice and to give up something that would affect them in a real way so they came up with the idea to give their hair, which is not easy to do.”
The first event proved very popular, and, Nasrallah said, “everyone who had contributed said that it didn’t feel like a normal day as it had just been filled with joy because they were giving something to others.”
Word of this event was spread via members of the NGO and through the group’s Facebook page. Youth volunteers from the group organized the entire event and were responsible for shampooing the donor’s hair before the cuts, but the 15 hairdressers – all professionals who had given up their Sunday afternoon – were both Christian and Muslim, Nasrallah said.
Many donors, Nasrallah said, had been personally affected by cancer, and had been inspired to contribute to the cause in some way. When Nasrallah approached a design company to make mugs as gifts for each donor, the owner wouldn’t let the NGO pay for them as his mother had recently died of cancer.
Before Sunday’s event started at 1 p.m. the NGO had already received donations of hair from around 100 people, those who had wanted their hair cut at their usual salon, or who couldn’t make it to the event itself.
Over 60 bookings had been made for the event, but Nasrallah expected around 100 in total, as many more turned up without reservations.
Rasash Salloum, 18, is a member of CrossTalk and heard about Sunday’s event through the organization. She had around 20 cm chopped off her originally waist-length hair.
“This is my first time taking part, but I don’t regret it at all. I’m just really happy to be doing something good for another person,” Salloum said.
Christina Attiyah, 19, heard about Sunday’s event through a friend who is a member of CrossTalk and she decided to take the plunge, having her long locks reduced to shoulder length, as a close friend recently died of cancer.
“At first I really wasn’t sure about it as I’ve always had very long hair and everyone knows me for my long hair, which was down to my waist,” she said.
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