When CCF volunteers Adrian Lee and Steven Chung shaved their heads in 2003, they received countless stares and shocked reactions. “I basically got a non-verbal reaction like “Are you mad?” or “Are you trying to be funny?” recounts Adrian in amusement.
That year was the first edition of Hair for Hope, when Singaporeans had not yet warmed to the idea of shaving their heads in support of children with cancer. But Adrian and Steven, who were volunteers for CCF events such as the Camp Sunshine, realised it was precisely this mindset that needed to change.
“I got closer to one of the families during the camp and realised that they did not have friends who understood what they were going through when their child was undergoing cancer treatment,” says Adrian.
The close friends and former university schoolmates roped in seven more CCF volunteers to shave their heads for the very first time. Although it was meant to tell children with cancer that they were not alone rather than a fundraising event, they made enough impact to be featured in The Straits Times.
But the bigger impact, says Adrian, was the chance to start conversations with friends and colleagues about the work of CCF and childhood cancer.
“I didn't even need to hound anyone for money, they just asked about my hair and if I was alright, and I just opened up. It’s really much easier to talk about CCF and childhood cancer when they are the ones asking the questions,” says Adrian.
The response was so good that the following year, the team decided to organise Hair for Hope on a larger scale. This time, 73 individuals recruited through a simple website and email blasts, came forward to shave their heads.
Despite the early success, Steven was cautiously optimistic about the future of Hair for Hope. “We never thought it would become so big, although we did think it would be nice if this can become an annual exercise,” he says.
Yet after 14 years, 42,261 shavees and over $24 million in funds raised, the motivation behind Hair for Hope remains unchanged.
Steven says, “Hair for Hope is not just a fun thing, but also about the meaning behind it. We are trying to take the stigma and sting out of being bald. If being bald is not a big deal then losing hair due to chemotherapy would hurt less for children or adults, and it would make the whole recovery process a lot less painful.”