Hair for care

Sydney couple Parul and Varun Batra do their bit for cancer research . NEHA MALUDE reports

It was a cut with a cause. Sydney couple Parul and Varun Batra on 14 March took part in the World’s Greatest Shave (WGS) initiative to raise money for cancer research.

Having taken the brave decision to shave their heads, the couple has raised over $4,000, but is keen on raising at least $6,000 for the cause.

As you might know, volunteers get sponsored and the money they collect goes towards research for finding better treatments for leukaemias, lymphomas, myeloma and other related blood disorders. In Australia, a staggering 60,000 people are diagnosed with blood cancer and related disorders, the third most common cause of cancer death.

Varun tells Indian Link that his wife is the reason they finally took the plunge this year. “Parul has wanted to do this for sometime now, so this year we decided to go for it together. We thought the collective focus would increase support for the cause,” he says.

Going bald, especially for an Indian woman, is a big step. For most women, hair is more than just a part of their looks, it’s a part of their identity. Did Parul feel that she would lose a part of her identity or change her persona in a significant way?

“The only change,” Parul replied, “is that we feel a lot colder!” She added, “Did it feel strange? Of course. But to be honest, excitement was the over-riding sensation!”

The money they have managed to raise has boosted their confidence. “This has definitely motivated us to do more to make a difference. But the movement needs far more support. Parul and I are certainly going to try and find more ways to contribute to this event, not just in cash but in kind too,” Varun says.

Did they face any resistance or backlash from family? “Our families were a bit stunned at first, sure. But they came around, and when we told them why Parul and I were participating in this event, they were immensely proud of us,” Varun said. “Of course, Parul and I supported each other right from the beginning.”

In the past, Indian Link has reported on how two Sydney-based women, Deepa Hariharan and Vani Chandra, stepped up to the challenge and shaved their heads as part of WGS. While Deepa decided support the cause by raising $3,000 after a dear friend lost her life to brain cancer, Vani raised more than $5,000 for the Leukaemia Foundation by shaving her locks on her birthday.

This year marks 20 years since World’s Greatest Shave was started by the foundation in 1998.

What’s more, the foundation recycles ponytails into wigs and turns hair clippings into compost or floating booms to absorb oil spills at sea. Not only do you end up helping improve the life of a cancer patient, but also the environment. It’s a win-win all the way.

Check out https://worldsgreatestshave.com/ to know more.

How the money helps Volunteers earn badges depending on how much money they can raise.

Here’s what the badges mean:

Helping Hands Badge $250.

Enough to enable a family to attend a support program specific to their blood cancer.

Sleep Easy Badge $560. Enough to give a regional family a free place to stay close to treatment in the city for one week.

Beep Beep Badge $1200. Enough to provide free transport for people who are too ill to drive after chemotherapy treatment, for two weeks.

Breakthrough Badge $2000.

Enough to aid future breakthroughs by funding a major blood cancer research project, for one week. Discover Badge $4800. Enough to fund 3 months of lab costs for a research project to discover better treatments for blood cancer.

Life Saver Badge $10,000. Enough to provide emotional support to help 300 families overcome the initial shock and stress of being diagnosed.