Phenomenal make-over for cancer survivors

Diana Aketch, who goes by the name Dee to her friends, has been in the salon business for close to two decades.

"I run Dee's Hair and Beauty Salon, based in Nairobi. I'm a wife and mother of three aged 21, 18 and eight. Twenty years working in a salon is a really long time but what really struck me was when one of my regular clients was diagnosed with breast cancer," explains Dee, who's in her mid 40s.

Her client lost all her hair after the chemotherapy. "It broke my heart to see the once bubbly lady a shell of her former self," she says. Dee custom-made a wig for her and had her glam squad do a make-over on the lady.

After the professional make-up session, the transformation was phenomenal, says Dee. "The client was over the moon and even though she had come to the salon distraught, we were able to cheer her up," she explains.

EXCITED

“She was so excited that something that seemed as simple as a made-up face and a wig could boost her self-esteem so high that she told us to post her 'before' and 'after' photos on social media to encourage other cancer survivors,” says Dee. The team received an influx of enquiries from survivors and family members who wanted to cheer up their ailing relatives. "And that was how our journey of helping cancer survivors to smile began," says Dee.

She developed friendships with the survivors, many of whom would visit her at the salon, especially when down and needed their spirits lifted. "When I donate wigs to them, I let them know that my door is always open and they can come and talk any time," she says. "Some of these women have been dumped by their spouses while others have become a burden to their families due to the escalating bills," says continues.

The survivors usually frequent Dee's Salon where they laugh, dance and pour out their hearts. "I might not have the money they need for their chemo but I have a listening ear, which often times makes all the difference for them."

Working closely with these ladies gets her emotionally involved and she truly feels the loss when one of them passes on. One 11-year-old girl who had leukaemia asked her mum to have Diana bring her a wig for her birthday.

MOBILISED FRIENDS

"I mobilised my friends on social media and we went to celebrate the little girl's birthday at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) carrying gifts and cake. I even made a tiara for her as she wanted to look like a princess," explains Dee. "Unfortunately, we lost her shortly after. That tore my heart into small fragments. I was really sad," she says. Nonetheless, she continued donating wigs, doing make-overs and bringing cheer to the lives of the survivors.

Dee works with Texas Cancer Centre, KNH and Nairobi Hospital where the ladies who have lost their hair during chemo are referred to her. "The ladies are usually so excited about the 'before' and 'after' photos that they have portrait photos taken to keep."

At some point, all of this started to take a toll on Dee psychologically and physically. "During a hospital visit, I was diagnosed with hypertension. My family was concerned about my health and the doctor advised me to go easy on myself," explains Dee. "I had to undertake professional counselling to help me cope with the pressure I was exposed to.

"The truth is I have felt like quitting so many times in the last four years. At times I'm so overwhelmed, especially when the client, now turned friend, passes on that I wonder why I keep doing this to myself," says Diana. “However an almost supernatural nudge keeps urging me to keep helping these ladies. When I see how happy my efforts make them, I'm encouraged to keep going. I feel in this life one needs to leave a legacy. I also want to teach others what I have learned over the years."

Thanks to social media, more and more people have become aware of how Diana is reaching out to cancer survivors, and strangers have started donating wigs. "A lady from the UK recently donated 50 wigs while another one in the US donated a bag full of wigs. Yet another donated five wigs, each valued at Sh30,000," says Dee. "My plea to Kenyans and those in the diaspora is to donate as many wigs as they can to help restore the crowning glory of cancer survivors. Some of these ladies look at themselves in the mirror and cry. They are excited that they no longer have to wear headscarves or stockings to hide their bald heads," stresses Diana. Her desire is to reach out to other cancer survivors in the counties and together with her glam squad, spread the cheer outside Nairobi.

Diana loves travelling and that is how she unwinds, especially when she traveling for shopping in Dubai or China. "I take some days alone to relax. Other times we travel as a family and relax at the coast."