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Donors get their hair trimmed to be donated to people fighting cancer, on Saturday in Dimapur.[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, June 29: Altogether 42 women from Dimapur donated 12 inch or more of their hair as part of a hair donation camp on Saturday. The camp was organised by the ‘Hair for Hope India’ in collaboration with likeminded organisations. The event was held on June 29 at the Eden Medical Centre in Dimapur.
Retired Nagaland Chief Secretary Banuo Z Jamir, a cancer survivor herself, empathised with people who are fighting cancer. She recounted her period of trauma when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2001.
Every cancer story, she said, is different. There is much to learn from each story; it takes a very few people to get a movement going for which the desire and passion of people keep such movements consistent, Jamir remarked.
"In Nagaland, cancer has become a health issue and every year 600 new cases are detected and according to a survey, 27 persons out of 1 lakh are detected with cancer. Imagine the numbers we are missing out of those who are living with cancer but not diagnosed," she said.
As a cancer survivor who has had to go through trauma, and the aspect of losing hair too during the course of treatment, Jamir said the hair adds character to a person. Even children know the importance of hair, the gathering was told.
Jamir remarked that cancer was a normal disease unlike those days when cancer was treated as a curse. Cancer has no discrimination and it can happen to anyone, she said. Nonetheless, she exhorted the people at the camp that life, even if its short, was not about ‘how long we live but how we live it.’
Dr. Aoakum of Eden Medical Centre also spoke at the event. He said dealing with cancer patients is not easy for physicians especially when they lose patients who became part of the care givers.
"As a physician, we cannot give false hope to cancer patients that the medication and the best quality machineries will work wonders but giving them hope is what we aim for," the physician said.
According to Aoakum, some patients come with ‘defeat,’ given up on life. ‘We must understand that the struggle is real for cancer patients as the fight against cancer does not only involve physical but mental too.’ Everyone needs hope and that the hope will grow in their everyday struggle, he said.