The Da Nang General Hospital has been connecting philanthropists who want to donate their hair and cancer patients that have lost their hair in the course of their treatment. 

The hospital’s medical staff are putting sets of donated hair on the heads of cancer patients with the hoped of bringing joy and somewhat easing the pain that cancer patients are having to deal with every day.

Cancer patients at the Da Nang General Hospital received sets of hair that were dubbed as ‘special gifts’ in the ‘Give your hair - Send love’ programme held by the hospital on Thursday afternoon.

This programme was launched by the Da Nang General Hospital from the early days of October. Since its launch, the event has received the participation of many people. Even, there were many people in other provinces and cities who had their own hair cut and then donate it cancer patients in the hospital.

Those who have beautiful long hair will understand deciding to cut it off can be emotional. But that just makes donating that hair to cancer patients who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy all the more highly-meaningful. In fact, cancer patients not only have pains because of their illness but also suffer a lot of mental trauma when they lose their hair.

Unable to hide the emotions when receiving the donated hair, a female patient with lung cancer burst into tears when the hospital’s doctors and nurses were putting a set of donated hair on her head. This special gift helps her remember that she used to have such beautiful hair.

"This is my greatest joy in the years to come. I am really grateful to everyone for their care for cancer patients like us. Once again I would like to thank the medical team, doctors and nurses for their kindness.

The hospital has organised such a highly-practical programme. This gift is a great encouragement for me as well as other cancer patients being treated here, the woman said in tears.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Trung, the hospital’s Deputy Director said, “Currently, the Oncology Department - Da Nang Hospital has more than 50 female patients who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment, needing a lot of hair. Fully aware of that, the hospital has run the above-mentioned programme with the aim of helping female patients have more joy in life, thereby gaining more energy to continue their tough fight against the life-threatening disease. I highly appreciate the volunteers who make hair donations”.

Prior to this programme, the hospital received nearly 20 sets of natural hair from donors. Many of them are also sent to the hospital via post. Experienced hairdressers from Tri Hoang Vu and LIX AD hair salons processed the donated hair and then hand it over to patients at the hospital’s Oncology Department on Thursday.

The programme of donating hair to cancer patients is a gift that invigorates the spirit and energy of patients in a bid to help them overcome the serious disease. Meanwhile, donors hope that their kindness can bring joy and somewhat ease the pain that cancer patients are having to deal with every day.

Sets of donated hairs are donated to cancer patients.

A patient with tears of joy when receiving a set of donated hair.

In addition to the reception of hair donations, cancer patients receive flowers on Vietnamese Women's Day.

A lot of students inside and outside Da Nang have their hair cut for donations right at the ‘Give your hair - Send love’ programme.

Reporting by CHANH LAM – Reporting by A.THU