Help kids with cancer feel like themselves again
How your donations will be used
Wigs
Generous donors like you support kids and families in their difficult journey with cancer. Custom-fitted human-hair wigs help kids get back to being kids.
Feeding supplies and medications
These can cost up to $4,000 every month and may not be covered by MSP. Part of your donations helps cover these costs for families in need.
Travel assistance
Wigs for Kids supports a cancer driving program that transports families to and from BC Children’s Hospital and helps fund other treatment-related travel costs.
Ella's Story
Ella was officially diagnosed with ganglioneuroblastoma, a tumour that develops in the nerve cells, and she underwent an 11-hour surgery to remove the tumour. Unfortunately, the surgical team was only able to remove 40 per cent of the mass, so Ella had to endure four rounds of chemotherapy over the next six months.
“It was all very traumatic,” Tina recalled. “But despite everything she was going through—losing her hair and constant needles and medication—Ella continued to be her happy self. She was amazing.”
During her time at the hospital Ella received a wig through the Wigs for Kids program. “The ladies from the wig store were so kind and caring,” Tina said, “it made Ella more comfortable.”
In March 2020 Ella had her second surgery, a 12-hour procedure that removed 95 per cent of the tumour. “The residual tumor has not grown,” Tina said, “and everything has remained the same. We are positively optimistic this will continue.”
Ella’s hair, once completely straight, has grown back into surprising, beautiful red curls and although she will continue to be closely monitored, she is happy to be back to her old life. “The support we received from friends, family, fundraisers, donors, and organisations was just incredible,” Tina said. “We can never thank everyone enough.”
How we got started
Wigs for Kids BC began informally in 2006 when a group of friends decided to raise money to help a teenager buy a wig to wear to her high school graduation. The teenager came to the group's attention through their friend Maria Karimani, a stylist at Hennessey Hair Salon.
When the girl walked into the salon and asked to speak to Maria privately, Maria knew it had something to do with the worn, "fried-looking" synthetic wig she was wearing. She removed her wig and explained she had lost all her hair due to cancer treatment. She had one question: "Will my hair grow back in time for graduation?" Maria says, "I looked into her tear-filled eyes and gently told her no. Then we both stood there and cried."
The group held a small silent auction and hoped to raise $3,000 - the approximate retail cost of one human-hair wig. When they raised over $24,000, they realized their fundraising efforts had the potential to make a difference in the lives of many more children living with cancer. Their mission to help one young girl became a vision to help as many BC children as possible.
Later that year, Wigs for Kids BC was established as a program out of BC Children's Hospital. In 2009, the hospital asked Wigs for Kids to expand its mandate beyond wigs to include funding for essential drugs and feeding supplies for children that are not covered by MSP.
