UAE: Boys and girls chop their hair for cancer warriors

Dubai - Several kids in the UAE showed no one is too young to make someone happy.

Hundreds of boys and girls — with some as young as six — donated their hair in a live virtual event held by the Hair for Hope foundation on Saturday,

Donors from the UAE, India, Singapore and New York chopped their locks to help lift the spirits of cancer warriors and survivors. Several students worked together to make the event happen, with the entire function run by 11-year-old Jovita and her brother Toshith.

Several kids in the UAE showed no one is too young to make someone happy.

Six-year-old Zoya Akhtar, a student of Abu Dhabi Indian school, donated 18 inches of her hair for the cause. “I am glad that I was able to make someone happy,” Zoya said.

Zoya’s father Syed Akhtar said she was very passionate about the cause. “Zoya had seen a hair donation event held at her school. She asked us the reason behind the cause. When we explained, she was very eager to donate.”

Two sisters from Dubai, Kiara and Naiara Fernando, even grew their hair specifically for the event. Explaining their motivation, they sai: “Our nanny who lost her battle to cancer looked after us for eight years.”

This act of kindness knew no gender, too, as boys broke stereotypes and grew their hair for over 12 inches just so they could be part of the movement.

“I had faced a lot of challenges growing my hair, but it was all worth the effort,” said Vishesh Shah, a student of GEMS Wellington International School, who didn’t cut his hair for 18 months.

His mother Hricha Saraf encouraged him to be the reason behind someone’s smile. “I lost my grandmother to cancer. That’s why we wanted to be part of this cause,” Hricha said.

Three-year-old Taksh, who is believed to be the youngest boy in the world to grow and donate his hair, has already pledged to help cancer patients.

Taksh’s mother said he was inspired by his sister who was once a hair donor. “We are in India at the moment, so we will be donating the hair once we reach Dubai,” she said.

Boys from over 13 schools in Dubai and over hundreds of girls have been part of the drive. All hair donations are delivered to Friends of Cancer Patients in Sharjah.

ayaz@khaleejtimes.com