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Dubai girl's tribute to aunt she lost to cancer

Dubai - The Grade 3 student donated her 15-inch ponytails for cancer patients who lost their hair during chemotherapy.

Dr Salima Jiwani lost two of her sisters to breast cancer and instead of just breaking down or silently grieving, Salima opted to let out her emotions constructively by creating awareness about the disease. And she started this by talking about the disease to her kids.
Her seven year old daughter Raania, a Grade 3 student at the Dubai English Speaking School, recently donated her 15-inch ponytails for cancer patients who lost their hair during chemotherapy.
"Raania had seen her aunt when she was healthy and even in her final stages of cancer, so she understands what cancer is. Recently when I asked her what she would do for her aunt, Raania said she would give her hair."
Dressed in white and pink, Raania's hair-cutting was held at her house in Mirdif where a whole lot of her little friends along with their mothers had gathered to witness the snip. Asked why is she cutting her long tresses, Raania said: "I want to bring a smile on someone's face, and I am doing it for my aunt whom we miss so much."
Salima said: "It was not easy for Raania because we have never cut her hair much, just trimmed it. We have been to the salon many times, but Raania would always back out last minute. She would say "mum have you ever seen a princess with short hair. I am your princess mum; how can I cut my hair". But surprisingly, this time she did it voluntarily because this was her tribute to her aunt
And since it was Raania's tribute to her aunt, Salima wanted it to be done in a big way and invited Rania's friends and their mothers to not only motivate them but also educate them about breast cancer. "We can bring awareness by letting women know that doing simple self-examination at home also can save their lives," she added.
Salima collected Raania's hair in a decorative white and pink box, and it will be donated to the UAE-based charity, Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP).
Explaining how she chanced on this idea of hair donation, Salima said she was told about the Hair for Hope India campaign (online) started by Indian expat Premi Mathew, who creates awareness about hair donations for cancer patients that can be converted into wigs and given free to chemotherapy patients in India. However, since they are cutting the hair in the UAE, they will donate it to the FoCP in Sharjah.
- saman@khaleejtimes.com