Hair For Hope 2012

 

To all children with cancer

Keep smiling, keep fighting

We're here to fight with you,

To smile with you

To be beside you

Alright as promised I will fill you up on this year's Hair For Hope which I went yesterday! Well I went again today with Nivedha, to take some photos and to meet her for lunch as well. And OMG a photographer took a photo of me with his Leica M9! I was like spazzing just now, me is happyboy92! Hahaha. I hope they will upload it on HFH Facebook page! It's like my first Leica photo.

Anyway yep, this year is my third year shaving for Hair For Hope. It all began back in year one, when I went with Saeyeoh and also Huiting. And then in year 2 more people joined, Victor, Yang Peng, Elton. And this year... I went alone! Haha sad, but it's great to know from my Facebook homepage that there are other people who shaved. Two females actually, a CLS senior of mine and Jeslyn's sister! So brave of these young ladies. SALUTE! :D

 

Salute to this beautiful lady who shaved!

Being my third year shaving... Well I decided to do more interesting stuff. I recorded my shaving process! I'll show you the video below hehe. Took it with my iPod touch and edited it via Windows Movie Maker. It's really fun doing this hehe. And I took a few photos today as well which I hope to share it on HFH FB page so that people can see it.

Hair For Hope has become like a yearly event for me since I signed up for it 2 years ago. I think it's pretty much a symbolic event, not just simply an "event". As I said last year, you have to go through it to feel how symbolic it is (Especially the ladies!). It's more than just shaving your head bald, it's also to morally show your support to the children with cancer.

I guess shaving is the least I could do. Losing my hair is nothing compared to the conditions that they have to go through while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy as well. I know how it feels, indirectly of course, seeing my aunt going through all these. Losing her hair slowly and seeing the pain and weakness in her face at times when she was here for treatment.

 

You're never too old, or too young to shave ^^

Being an adult, I guess she, and the few others have a higher pain threshold and also a more understanding about life. Challenges, accepting the fact, and so on. But children, not so much. They are pretty young and having this disease is not something easy for them to accept. The pain, the conditions they have to go through etc are not something easy to accept.

So this event is very symbolic for us, and for them too. I guess it goes to all children with cancer, not only in Singapore but around the world. This act of "silence" we are going through speaks louder than a thunder of a thousand words to them. Spiritually, morally, though not necessarily physically. I really hope they will feel supported by our acts. Though we're not there physically to tell them it's okay to be bald. Just hope our actions will! (And of course they will)

And not only being a symbolic event, but Hair For Hope is well, I think, an event that taught me lots of things too. Today I bought the book of stories written by some of the cancer survivors, which I can't wait to read! I hope to find a day to just spend the whole day reading it. And so lovely of them to give them their signatures on the book too hehe.

Stay Strong!

One thing I realised about them that I never fail to notice is this - they're a bunch of energetic, bubbly, lively and cheerful kids. At times I think, they went through so much and yet somehow their smile and energy hide away the things that they have went through. So knowing all the people I met just now are cancer survivors, I'm just awed and inspired really.

It's such a pity that well I guess we tend to take things for granted. We tend to give up when life gets tough. We tend to just feel that we're worthless when things get rough. I myself, sometimes, is one of these people. I have to admit I'm someone who's easily stressed. But I don't give up, but I just feel horrible at times when things are going wrong etc and I don't have the motivation to go on.

Having these survivors around me just now is just a reminder for me that we need to live life to the fullest. At times we don't know how lucky we are to have a healthy body up till now. No serious disease has ever struck on us and we are one healthy individual that's kicking-ly healthy. Battling a cancer is not just a "recovery" but is a journey. And these people have went through this tough and arduous journey and I'm really proud of them. Inspired by them. 

Don't just take things things for granted. When life gets tough, you simply give up? When problems pop by here and there, you simply walk away? Then take a look at those survivors. Trust me they went through much worst conditions and times before and did they give up? No. So simply, there is also no reason to give up when things get tough around you too!


So yeah I reckon HFH as not just something symbolic and supportive for children with cancer. But it also taught me so many things I can learn and apply in life as well. If you wish to go next year, I recommend you to go! Haha. Trust me once you go through it I think you'll understand how symbolic it is. I heard some passer-bys at Vivo just now commenting "Why would you want to shave your head for this event?" "Why would people queue up to get their head shaved?"

My answer is there for you to read hehehe.

Okay that's all for now. Here's the video of me shaving this year! Please pardon the weird faces and if it's too soft for you to hear me. I recorded this with my iPod touch so that explains why hehe. Enjoy!



And well my point of view is this. People may call me brave to go for Hair For Hope. But well I don't think they should call me brave. The children with cancer are the brave souls. And because of them, I'm brave too. :)