Dubai toddler in world record bid to donate hair for cancer

Dubai - 3-year-old Taksh plans to chop off 12 inches of his locks for FoCP donation drive.

A three-year-old UAE boy may break the Guinness World Record for being the youngest to enroll for hair donation for cancer patients.

Inspired by his mother Neha Jain, who donated 12 inches of her hair and his eight-year-old sister Mishika, who donated 23 inches of her hair for the cause, the toddler insisted on growing his hair too for the donation, his mother told Khaleej Times.

Taksh Jain is one of the youngest children to have enrolled into the Friends of Cancer Patients’ (FOCP) hair donation campaign and has also applied for the Guinness World Records title for the same category.

Taksh’s mother Neha said that since his birth, they have cut his hair only once when he was three months old. “His next haircut would be now for FoCP hair donation charity drive, where he will donate 12 inches of his hair (which is below his shoulder level). We are waiting for approval from the Guinness World Records team and once we get that Taksh will go for his haircut. He has such long, thick and good-textured hair that I have to tie a ponytail to manage it. I am sure it will make for a good wig for cancer patients,” Neha said.

Revealing what inspired the little boy to donate his hair at such a young age, Neha said: “He was inspired by his elder sister, Mishika Jain, who donated her 23 inches of her Rapunzel locks for cancer patients in 2019. When Taksh also showed interest, I decided to encourage him.”

Neha said she and her kids were inspired towards the cause after a family friend lost her hair due to cancer a few years ago. “I felt so sad for this friend of ours who lost all her hair after chemotherapy. She lost her self-confidence and refused to step out or meet anyone due to hair loss. When I told this to my daughter, who was then 6 years old, she said she wanted to give her hair to her. This gave me the idea of hair donation and my daughter agreed to donate. After growing her hair till it was below her waist, Mishika would look at her hair and say, I want to be Rapunzel not for myself, but for those around me who need help.”

Neha said Mishika, who had to sport a bob-cut for some time after her donation, will donate again. “Mishika said that this time she would grow her hair till it touches the floor and then donate half of it, so she can retain a decent length of hair after the donation.”

While little Taksh is still learning to talk, his mother says he keeps repeating one sentence: “ I want to donate my hair”.

saman@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai