All About Hair: shave for a cause

A Brave Shave for a Cause

brave shave February 08, 2017

Seven Hills beautician Vani Chandra did her bit for leukaemia last week by participating in the World’s Greatest Shave campaign.

She raised more than $5000 for the Leukaemia Foundation by shaving off her thick, long hair.

Admit it, that’s brave, given she is of Indian heritage. Hair has a whole other meaning for Indian women.

Michelle Rowland, the local MP, was at the beauty salon to support Vani as the razor was turned on.

Some sixty other people, including regular customers and friends and family, turned up as well. Many of them had their own hair coloured at the salon, as their way of contributing towards the fundraiser.

“I donate to many cancer-related charities and have wanted to participate in the World’s Greatest Shave for the past three years. But my husband, two sons and my staff discourage me, given my profession as a beautician. ‘Why don’t you just colour your hair?’ they told me. But it was something that I really wanted to do. When I turned 55 recently I declared it as my birthday wish, and they were left with no choice but to support me.”

Born and bred in Singapore, Vani migrated to Australia twenty years ago and opened her beauty and sari shop five years later. Her hard work and dedication soon saw her business expand. In addition to her Indian Beauty House in Seven Hills she now owns Vani’s Beauty Parlour in Flemington.

Vani is quite clear that beauty is not merely external. “Beauty is not only what is outside, it should come from within. Being in the beauty industry for fifteen years, I thought I can raise awareness about cancer in the Indian community through my parlours.”

The beautiful hair that came off her head will be donated to Westmead Hospital to be converted into a wig.

“When I think that I can donate something useful for someone who needs it more, I am filled with a great sense of achievement,” she said.

She expressed her deepest compassion for young sufferers who lose their hair. “I wanted to give my hair to a younger girl to help her feel well again.”

As the hair began to come off, many of Vani’s staff became emotional. “In Indian culture a married woman is not supposed to shave her head, it is a sentimental thing,” Vani observed. “Some of my girls couldn’t bear to look, and some even had tears. But it was my wish and my passion and I felt strong.”

Of course, it didn’t all happen overnight. Vani says much planning went into making her dream a reality. “I started planning last year. I registered myself with the Leukaemia Foundation and they guided me step by step. They sent me all the promotional stuff like t-shirts and posters.”

Michelle Rowland, whose office is in Seven Hills and who is a regular client, got on board to offer support.

Vani shared, “Whenever Michelle attends an Indian function, I help dress her up in saris and do her hair and makeup. When she has fundraisers I support her by donating gift vouchers. So, when I approached her about my project, she agreed without hesitation and also promised to donate. She was the first to cut my hair.”

Did she have doubts about how she would cope afterwards? Vani laughed, “To be honest, it didn’t bother me at all! Hair or no hair, I am still the same person. In fact, I feel great. My husband thinks I look sexier!”

Vani believes her hair will grow back in three or four months, but in the meantime she won’t wear a wig to hide her bald head. “I won’t be able to wear Indian outfits, but that’s fine. And in the Indian culture people might think something’s wrong or feel sorry for me. But hey, it’s only short term.”

Vani expressed gratitude to her family, her customers, committee and members of the Sakhti Amman Temple in Toongabbie and her relatives in Singapore for helping her reach the fundraising target.

Vani is proud of her contribution to cancer awareness and maintains that she might consider the World’s Greatest Shave again in the future. “I hope my message gets through and encourages other community members to step forward and get involved.”

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Indian Girl shave her head for a Cause

raised money for cancer research January 28, 2017

Now a days many of the girls are doing their best to do something from their end for a good cause. As a part of it, they are losing their lovely locks. One of our Indian girl, Naina Ragnekar also shaved her head or the St.Baldrick's event and raised around 780$ with the support of her family and friends.

Below is from her own Words -

"I shaved to raise money for childhood cancer research

My Name is Naina Rangnekar and this is something that I've wanted to do my whole life but i never thought I would have the courage to go through with it. When i was in middle school my best friend's mother had Ovarian Cancer and shortly passed away during the start of high school. All throughout high school my life had been affected by many people around me who had gone through the trauma of cancer. After joining Chi Omega I came to a realization that it's the small things in life that matter. Shaving my head and raising money could be that small thing that someone else needs (especially through donations) and i want to help our community and world as much as possible. Please please donate and Spread the word!"

Her experience from one of the Blog

The crowd cheered when University of Colorado sophomore Naina Rangnekar sat down in a chair, facing the crowd. Rangnekar has big eyes, olive skin and beautiful dark hair that goes past her shoulders — and she cut all of it off.

As the electric razor buzzed her to near-total baldness and big locks of her hair were passed around the crowd, one of her Chi Omega sorority sisters in the crowd yelled, "Naina why are you still so hot?!"

"Why am I doing this right now," she replied, laughing. "Hashtag reality check!"

Naina was one of more than 100 who gained a crew cut on Wednesday during the St. Baldrick's Foundation Fundraiser, an event that has been taking place since 2005 on the CU campus.

Rangnekar, who raised $780, said her friends and family were supportive, but her boyfriend tried to convince her not to do it at the last minute. "As he was stroking my hair, he was like, 'I'll buy you a dog,'" she said.

"Yeah, he tried to bribe me with a dog."

Her boyfriend ended up shaving his head with her.

Rangnekar shaved her head as part of a New-Year's Resolution that was inspired by the event. "My New Year's resolution was to find myself," she said. "A lot of things about image don't really matter in this world — hair clothes. It doesn't change who you are. I wanted to show everyone that. My hair doesn't define me."