Login
Login

Brittany Colebank

Share my page

About Wigs for Kids

Wigs for Kids BC (W4K BC) helps kids living with cancer, live better.

A proudly volunteer-run organization, W4K BC provides funding to cover the cost of custom-made human-hair wigs for children and teens at BC Children's Hospital who have suffered hair loss due to cancer treatment or other serious illnesses. Donations to W4K BC also help families pay for medications and feeding supplies that are essential for treatment but not covered by their medical plan.

When a child has a serious illness it takes an enormous toll on the entire family–both emotionally and financially. The assistance W4K BC provides makes the family's burden a little lighter so they can focus more of their time and energy on caring for their sick child.

By contributing to W4K BC, you are making a tremendous difference in the lives of children living with cancer –and their families–across the province. Thank you for your support.

Please help me reach
MY GOAL

Raised

$305

My Goal

$1,000

Select amount to donate

$50
$100
$250
$
Donate

Achievements

Fundraising page

Updated profile pic

Added a blog post

Received 5 donations

Reached goal

Self donated

Updates

Finding Light in the Darkest Times: Our Family’s BC Children’s Hospital Story

Friday 18th Sep

When we start an initiative like Wigs for Kids BC, the passion usually stems from a very personal place. For our family, that deep-seated desire to give back to our province's medical community was born during two of the scariest weeks of our lives back in 2022.


A Medical Emergency Far From Home

In 2022, our first-born daughter was just 5 months old when she suddenly fell critically ill. Living in Hixon, we rushed her to our hospital in Prince George, but her symptoms quickly escalated. With a suspected diagnosis of infant botulism—a rare and serious illness that affects a baby's nervous system—she needed specialized care that only one place in the province could provide.

Before we could fully process what was happening, our tiny baby girl was airlifted from Prince George to BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver.


Two Weeks that Changed Everything

We spent the next two weeks in a blur of monitors, doctors, and immense worry. Our journey included:

  • One week in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), watching our daughter fight the paralysis caused by the illness.
  • One week as inpatients on the ward as she slowly began her recovery.

One of the most terrifying parts of infant botulism is that it paralyzes the muscles, meaning our sweet girl completely lost her ability to swallow. She required a feeding tube to get the nutrition she needed to heal.


Wraparound Support When We Needed It Most

As parents, you expect a hospital to provide world-class medical treatment, which BC Children's Hospital absolutely did. What we didn't expect was the overwhelming, compassionate wraparound support for our entire family during a time of complete crisis.

Because we were hundreds of kilometres away from home, navigating a medical emergency felt isolating. But BC Children’s Hospital and its partners stepped in to carry us:

  • Keeping Dad Close: My husband was able to stay just steps away at the incredible Ronald McDonald House, giving him a safe place to rest while remaining by our side.
  • Protecting the Breastfeeding Journey: Because our daughter couldn't swallow, I was terrified our breastfeeding journey was over. The hospital staff went above and beyond to support me. I stayed at our baby's bedside, and the nurses and lactation consultants helped me navigate around-the-clock pumping and tube-feeding, ensuring we stayed on track until she was strong enough to nurse again.
  • Essential Comforts: From helping us navigate accommodations to ensuring we had food and emotional support, they looked after us so we could focus entirely on our daughter.


Our Daughter Today

Looking at our daughter now, you would never know how hard she had to fight in that ICU bed at just five months old. Today, she is a vibrant, healthy, and beautifully energetic girl. Her hair has grown in beautifully, and while she never needed a wig herself, her recovery is a daily reminder of what BC Children’s Hospital makes possible. They gave her the chance to grow up, run around, and just be a kid.


Why We Give Back to Wigs for Kids BC

Today, our daughter is thriving, but we will never forget the kindness, expertise, and humanity we experienced during those 14 days in Vancouver. BC Children’s Hospital didn't just save our daughter; they held our family together.

It is because of experiences like ours that we are so fiercely dedicated to supporting the hospital through Wigs for Kids BC. We know firsthand what it feels like to sit in those hospital rooms, feeling completely helpless.

While our daughter’s battle was with botulism, we know that every child facing a medical crisis deserves to feel like a kid again. For some children, that means getting specialized medicine; for others, it means receiving a custom wig to regain their confidence and joy during cancer treatment or hair loss. By fundraising for Wigs for Kids BC, we are helping the hospital provide the same life-changing care and family support systems that pulled us through.

Thank you to the doctors, nurses, RTs, and staff at BC Children's Hospital. You have our eternal gratitude.


How You Can Help Us Give Back

Our journey taught us that BC Children's Hospital relies heavily on the generosity of our community to care for kids from every corner of the province. You can help us support the next family walking through those doors. Whether you choose to donate to Wigs for Kids BC, share our story, or look into hair donation, your support directly impacts the lives of BC kids and their families when they need it most.

Standing Tall in September: Honoring Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Thursday 17th Sep
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month—a vital time dedicated to honoring brave young fighters, raising awareness, and supporting the families navigating the unimaginable reality of a pediatric cancer diagnosis. As we continue through the month, it remains a profound reminder of why our ongoing support for Wigs for Kids and B.C. Children’s Hospital is so deeply important.
For a child undergoing cancer treatment, the physical changes can be incredibly tough to process. Radiation and chemotherapy often lead to hair loss, which can take a heavy toll on a child’s self-esteem and sense of normalcy during an already terrifying time. Wigs for Kids does beautiful work by turning donated hair into custom, hand-crafted hairpieces. These wigs are provided to children entirely free of charge, helping them feel like themselves again so they can focus on what matters most: healing and just being a kid.
At the same time, we are incredibly lucky to have B.C. Children’s Hospital providing world-class, compassionate care to pediatric oncology patients across the province. The doctors, nurses, and researchers there don't just treat the illness; they support the entire family through the darkest days of their lives.
The battles these kids fight every single day are monumental, and keeping the spotlight on their journeys is something we can all do to send love, strength, and solidarity their way.
There are so many ways to keep making a difference this September. Whether it is making a financial contribution, sharing information to raise awareness, or simply sending a message of love to a family in need, every bit of support helps light the way forward.
To everyone at B.C. Children’s Hospital and Wigs for Kids, thank you for the magic you do. And to the little warriors fighting cancer: you are never alone.

Chop for Charity

Wednesday 16th Sep
Stay tuned for the after picture!

Chop for Charity

Tuesday 15th Sep
The Big Chop: Why I’m Cutting My Hair for Wigs for Kids BC
For a long time, my hair has been a major part of my identity. It is what people notice first, how I express myself, and honestly, a bit of a safety blanket. But on October 22, that is going to change. I am doing a "big chop" and donating my hair to Wigs for Kids BC.
I have spent months watching my hair grow, knowing that while it is just hair to me, it could mean the world to a child experiencing medical hair loss. When children lose their hair due to cancer treatments, alopecia, or other serious illnesses, it affects more than just their appearance. It impacts their confidence, their self-esteem, and their ability to feel like themselves during an incredibly difficult time.
That is where Wigs for Kids BC steps in.
What Wigs for Kids BC Does
This incredible grassroots, volunteer-run organization works in partnership with the BC Children's Hospital Foundation to provide free, custom-fitted human-hair wigs to children and teens across British Columbia.
But their impact goes far beyond hair pieces. Did you know that it takes about 10 to 12 ponytails and thousands of dollars to handcraft just one single wig? On top of covering production costs, Wigs for Kids BC uses monetary donations to support families with essential costs that are not covered by provincial health plans. This includes funding for life-saving cancer medications, specialized feeding supplies, and travel expenses for families who have to travel to specialized treatment centers. Because they operate with zero overhead, 100% of the funds raised go directly to helping these kids and their families.
How You Can Help Me Reach My Goal
Donating my hair is only half the battle. Real-hair wigs are expensive to produce, and the medical bills these families face build up quickly. That is why I am trying to raise funds alongside my hair donation.
My goal is to raise $1000 before the scissors come out on October 22.
Every single dollar helps ease the financial burden on a family fighting cancer or chronic illness. 
If you aren't able to donate financially right now, you can still play a massive part by sharing this post with your friends, family, and coworkers.
Thank you so much for supporting me on this journey, and more importantly, for supporting the brave kids at BC Children’s Hospital. Stay tuned for the "before and after" photos on October 22

Supporters

$51.63

Vicki Streifel

Happy Birthday Brit!! Wonderful amazing this thing your doing ! Cheering you on! Huge Hugs!

$25.81

Jessika

$206.50

Kimberley Bregg

$20.65

Brittany Colebank

Show more