Help, of course! Bringing smiles to cancer patients

Hyderabad: Identifying the psychological issues linked with the cancer patients, most of whom lose their hair during the arduous treatment process like chemotherapy, a NRI decided to not only bring smiles on their faces but bring back the confidence to lead their lives normally.

Telangana-born NRI Ram Charith Teja raised hair donations from thousands of people to make wigs for over 48 cancer patients. Interestingly, Ram Charith started presenting appreciation certifications to the people to encourage them for donation and the idea of certification has brought in numerous donations, with which Ram is able to help the needy at a right time.

It is really not easy to get donations and it is more difficult to generate awareness amongst people about the importance of donations in this endeavour. "To raise Rs 20,000 for one wig for a cancer child took me at least 18 days of time. Then

I realised the importance of hair and with a thought that 'why don't we collect the hair itself, instead of striving to raise funds,' I have started raising donations of hair directly which I still feel it's easier than funding", says Ram Charith, the founder of NGO, Course of Help.

Cancer patients lose their hair while undergoing chemotherapy, and losing hair lowers confidence and drastically affects mental health. The patients if they are young, they are more prone to get affected by the way their peers react and sometimes get bullied. Therefore, the idea is to help them cheer up and regain the lost confidence.

In the last one year the Course of Help is associated with several other NGOs and volunteers to raise enough contribution of hair to the needy and in the lockdown, they have initiated the concept of certification to donors, which brought them at least 250 donors and could help 45 kids.

"We have provided entirely easy to donate facilities to the donors that we directly go to their place if required and do hair-cut and take the hair from them and will also help the donors tracking when and where their hair goes," said Vandana Rayabarapu, Vice-President, Course of Help.

"In society, there is a myth called only women have large hair and it's hard for men to contribute their hair. But it's not, Course of Help founder Ram Charith has let his hair grow for one-and-a-half years and then has donated it to me. It all needs the heart to donate and we find several ways to donate. I feel confident and able to feel happy about the way I look, the wig donated by Ram Charith has given me strength to live longer and fight further," said B Ramya, a 17-year-old girl undergoing chemotherapy in Hyderabad.

Interestingly, on asking how the NRI living in the United Kingdom is able to run the great cause, Ram replied that, Everything is possible with in-built zeal and I just followed what my heart says and able to run the activities with the help of my friends and my team of Course of Help and my family takes huge credit in organising the awareness events and programmes.

Ram Charith, being a role model for many by doing several other activities under the roof of Course of Help, a few activities include the distribution of food to the patients in government hospitals, establishing temporary stay for self-employed and adopting the orphans, conducting food drives, knowledge drives and many to pen to list about the activities on Course of help.