I’ll be hair for you
Watching cancer claim her sister’s life was the driving force behind a Wishaw woman’s plan to provide wigs for other patients.
Fay Bell looked on in agony as sister Rosemary struggled with the disease for five years before her death at the age of just 55 in December.
Now hair stylist Fay, who runs the Adam and Eve salon in Caledonian Road with sisters Wilma and Karen, has launched “Elegant Rose” in mum-oftwo Rosemary’s honour after receiving NHS approval to provide wigs for patients.
Fay, who is undergoing her own cancer treatment, said: “In October I was diagnosed with breast cancer but I have been very lucky in that the cancer was caught at Stage one and recently had a lumpectomy.
.......“When Rosemary was diagnosed with bowel cancer it was already at Stage four.
“She fought and fought and was always upbeat. She was such a strong person.
“Rose always liked looking very glam. In fact her birthday was on December 20 and she wanted her hair and makeup done.
“We hope that if we can help other people suffering from cancer we can show how proud we all are of Rose and how much we miss her.”
After taking advice from charities Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust and The Haven, Fay and the team at Elegant Rose were then accepted by the NHS to provide wigs for free to patients receiving treatment at University Hospital Wishaw.
Fay believes her family’s own personal experience will be invaluable going forward.
She added: “For years we had been taking Rosemary into Glasgow to o get wigs.
“Th “The prospect t of f our sister it losing l i h her hair was very distressing for everyone involved.
“That day we realised there was nothing to make the process any easier for her.
“Losing your hair can be one of the most traumatic experiences a woman can face.
“We can cover our bodies with clothes and no- one knows what’s going on but to lose your hair takes away confidence.
“We want to give Wishaw women back that confidence and to make them feel loved again.
“It can give them back that wee spark that they may have been missing.”
Losing your hair can be traumatic for women - Fay Bell