Teenager raises money for young cancer patients
Indian expat collecting hair donations for the patients
A14-year old Indian expatriate has launched an initiative, CoviDONATE, where 19 individuals from all around the world will donate hair across 19 days until September 7.
CoviDONATE, which started on August 20, has so far received five hair donations from UAE residents and from some people living abroad.
“We are planning on one hair donation a day. By August 24, we received five hair donations,” said Himakshi Shastri, a Year 10 student of Dubai College.
Online effort
She said funds for the initiative will be raised through online fundraiser Yallagive and the money collected will go towards treatment of young cancer patients.
“From as early as age four, I have participated in several ventures to make a positive mark in the world. I attempt to encourage global citizens to care for each other and the environment,” said Himakshi who had earlier collected more than 150 hair donations for other charitable cause.
“The aim of CoviDONATE is to bring a smile to as many faces of cancer patients as possible and therefore, besides the hair donation, the fund-raising campaign also runs alongside,” she explained.
Himakshi, who is author of the book ‘Prized Words’, said she thought of the idea as a way to take the negative 19 out of Covid-19 and replace it with 19 positive inspiring individuals who want to donate their hair and make a difference to the society.
Big achievement
The Dubai College student has so far managed to rope in donors from Miami, Canada, UAE and the Caribbean Islands who have all agreed to be a part of the initiative and donate their hair for a good cause.
Dubai student Jaina Jatwani, 7, a Year 3 student at Dubai English Speaking School, who donated her hair on the first day of the campaign, said: “I would like to give my hair to cancer patients because I want to do a kind deed. If I can bring a smile to even one cancer patient with my hair donation, it will be a big achievement.”