Brave: A photo from the collection Pink Warriors 2017 featuring 45-year-old breast cancer patient Phạm Thị Hồng Anh (Photo courtesy of organiser)
HCM City (VNA) – The Breast
Cancer Network Vietnam (BCNV) is calling for hair donations as part of the Pink
Hat Festival, which will be held on October 29 to raise awareness, especially
among women, about the threat of breast cancer.
The BCNV expects to get 4,000 hair sets,
which will be used to produce about 300 wigs for cancer patients nationwide,
including breast cancer patients.
Launched in 2014, the organisation so far
has received nearly 1,000 hair sets. At the moment, 10 wigs are available to be
loaned to patients without a rental fee. Another 50 sets will be completed soon
and donated to cancer patients in Da Nang.
Those who wish to donate their hair may
register at goo.gl/vDq56Z.
Alongside the appeal for hair, the Pink Hat
Festival will also feature the book launch of Song Lan Thu Hai (Live for the
Second Time) by Nguyen Thuy Tien, who is one of founding members of the BCNV.
The book tells the story of the fight of Thuong
Sobey – the first founding member the BCNV, who is also Tien’s elder
sister—against the disease. It explains how Thuong was brave, tough, and
unyielding during the battle.
A few months before her wedding, Thuong was
informed that she was in the fourth stage of the disease. Instead of falling
into despair, she continued to devote her heart, mind and time to raise
awareness among Vietnamese women about breast cancer.
The book also tells about Tien’s emotions and
experiences after her sister’s death. Tien was informed that she had a BRCA
gene mutation that increases the risk of women’s breast cancer.
The book launch will be followed by a talk
with special guests, including Australia’s Consul General in HCM City, Karen
Lanyo, and breast cancer survivor Trang Nguyen.
A photo exhibition on the theme “Pink
Warriors 2017”, featuring women who were or are in the treatment process for
breast cancer, will be held during the festival.
A-list singer My Tam, who is an active
supporter of the BCNV will present her performance at the festival.
The festival will also present a dance
flashmob featuring more than 200 people.
The Pink Hat Festival will take place from 9am
until 5pm at the Soul Live Project, 214-216 Pasteur Street, Ward 6, District 3,
Ho Chi Minh City.-