Tata Memorial Centre, Cherian Foundation to Provide 500 Free Wigs to Cancer Patients
The Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) and The Cherian Foundation have entered into a partnership to provide 500 premium natural human hair wigs worth Rs 1.5 crore free of cost to economically disadvantaged cancer patients. Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai will serve as the nodal centre for receiving, coordinating, and distributing the wigs across the wider TMC network.
The initiative is designed to help patients cope with treatment-related hair loss and restore dignity and confidence. In addition to Tata Memorial Hospital, the distribution will cover several institutes under the network, including the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC) in Navi Mumbai, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Visakhapatnam and New Chandigarh, Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute in Guwahati, and Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre in Varanasi.
Hair loss remains one of the most visible and emotionally taxing side effects of chemotherapy, particularly for women undergoing treatment for breast and gynaecological cancers. Dr Shalaka Joshi, Professor in the Department of Surgical Oncology (Breast Unit), noted that nearly 90% of women diagnosed with breast or gynaecological cancers receive chemotherapy. She highlighted that hair loss significantly affects identity and emotional well-being, while the high cost of natural hair wigs often places them out of reach for low-income families.
Dr C S Pramesh, Director of Tata Memorial Hospital, stated that comprehensive cancer care must prioritize patients' overall quality of life alongside survival outcomes, adding that high-quality wigs will help patients undergo their treatment with greater confidence.
Valsa Benjamin Cherian, Director of The Cherian Foundation, noted that the collaboration reflects the organisation's view that healthcare must extend beyond medical treatment to restoring dignity and hope. Sara Cherian, Executive Trustee and a cancer survivor, shared that her personal experience underlined the necessity of ensuring financial limitations do not prevent patients from receiving wigs.
Through its Gift Hair Gift Confidence initiative, The Cherian Foundation has committed to manufacturing and donating 1,000 premium natural human hair wigs each year. Since 2014, the programme has mobilised over 30,000 hair donors and supplied more than 2,500 free wigs through over 35 partner hospitals nationwide. George B Cherian, CEO of Raj Hair International, which manufactures the wigs, affirmed the company's commitment to maintaining high standards of comfort and natural appearance.
