In 2014, Mara Caldwell decided to help people experiencing medical hair loss by setting up The Harmony of Hope Foundation and the annual Bald and Beautiful Ball.
The not-for-profit organisation helps children who suffer from conditions or illnesses such as alopecia and cancer (chemotherapy) and was inspired by her own troubles with alopecia as a university student.
Her experiences gave her the motivation to raise funds and help others in the same situation who might be struggling to come to terms with their own hair loss.
Hair loss can be caused by many different reasons. Most of the people Mara’s organisation help have been through or are currently receiving chemotherapy or have alopecia.
Here are just a few hair loss conditions …
Alopecia Areata
An autoimmune where your immune system attacks hair follicles and results in hair loss.
Cancer – Some cancers cause hair loss as cancer attacks the immune system. In addition, chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that results in hair loss
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
This is an endocrine disorder affecting women’s ovaries and symptoms can include weight gain, extreme fatigue and hair loss or thinning.
Anaemia
This is caused by iron deficiency and iron is essential for strong hair growth, A lack of iron or the inability to absorb iron-rich foods can cause hair loss.
Sometimes hair loss is caused by hormonal imbalance, genetics, stress or using harsh chemicals. Whatever the cause, hair loss can seriously dent someone’s self-confidence and make them ashamed to walk around with their head held high.
Non-profit organisations such as the Harmony of Hope Foundation give children with hair loss their confidence back through donated hair forming wigs. This small gesture can have huge results for those in receipt of it, in giving them back a piece of their self-esteem.
