Mumbai: Tata Memorial Centre, Cherian Foundation To Provide 500 Free Wigs Worth ₹1.5 Crore To Cancer Patients

Mumbai, August 19, 2026 - The Tata Memorial Centre and The Cherian Foundation have joined forces to offer 500 premium human hair wigs, valued at Rs 1.5 crore, to economically disadvantaged cancer patients. The objective is to alleviate hair loss induced by chemotherapy, thereby restoring patients' confidence and dignity. Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai will serve as the central hub for wig distribution across the TMC network, including ACTREC in Navi Mumbai, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital in Visakhapatnam, New Chandigarh, Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute in Guwahati, and Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre in Varanasi.

Hair loss is a distressing side effect of chemotherapy, particularly for women undergoing treatment for breast and gynaecological cancers. Dr Shalaka Joshi, a professor in the Department of Surgical Oncology (Breast Unit), noted that approximately 90% of women diagnosed with breast or gynaecological cancers undergo chemotherapy.

The loss of hair can deeply impact patients' confidence, identity, and emotional well-being. Moreover, the high cost of premium natural hair wigs often renders them unaffordable for low-income families.

Dr C S Pramesh, the Director of Tata Memorial Hospital, emphasized that cancer care should prioritize not just survival but also the patients' quality of life. He added that the high-quality wigs provided by this initiative would enable patients to face treatment with greater dignity and confidence.

Valsa Benjamin Cherian, the Director of The Cherian Foundation, highlighted the partnership's alignment with the foundation's belief that healthcare extends beyond medical treatment to restoring dignity, hope, and quality of life. Sara Cherian, Executive Trustee and a cancer survivor, shared her personal experience, stressing the significance of ensuring that no patient is denied the confidence and dignity a wig can provide due to financial constraints.

The Cherian Foundation, through its Gift Hair Gift Confidence (GHGC) initiative, commits to manufacturing and donating 1,000 premium natural human hair wigs annually. Since its inception in 2014, the initiative has enlisted over 30,000 hair donors and provided more than 2,500 wigs free of cost to more than 35 partner hospitals across India.