The courage to go bald: Why more girls are shaving their heads for children with cancer
The growing number of girls taking part reflects changing social attitudes.
On July 1, Yishun Innova Junior College in Singapore hosted an event where 18-year-old Gerlyn Ng shaved her long black hair to support children battling cancer. Gerlyn was one of only a few girls in her school to participate in the annual Hair for Hope campaign by the Children's Cancer Foundation (CCF). The campaign, running from March 4 to August 16, aims to raise $5 million for programs and services to help children with cancer and their families.
Gerlyn was nervous but said the event took only three minutes. She has raised $1,570 so far and encourages more girls to participate despite any concerns about their appearance. The 2026 edition of the campaign has seen a growing number of female participants, reflecting changing social attitudes towards baldness. Kevin Tay, an oncologist and chairman of CCF, noted that more people have family or friends affected by cancer, leading to greater understanding and acceptance.
Joy Ang, a Primary 3 pupil from Kong Hwa School, also participated in the campaign. Her father, Kelvin Ang, has stage three nose cancer and has relapsed three times, though he has been cancer-free for the last four years. Joy's participation helped her empathize with her father's experience and the challenges female cancer patients face when they lose their hair.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
