Turkish hairdressers deliver free wigs to cancer patients
Meliha Yıldız tries on a wig after losing her hair due to cancer treatment, Dec. 15, 2023. (DHA Photo)


Mustafa Ceylan, Turkish representative of the World Confederation of Hairdressers and head of the Balkan region, started providing cancer patients with free wigs in 2013 with a group of hairdressers. Since then, the hairdressers say they have donated wigs to approximately 2,700 patients in nine years in Eskişehir and aim to spread the project across Türkiye.

Ceylan noted that the patients donate their wigs to other patients once they no longer need them, thus continuing the chain of goodwill. "Besides Eskişehir, we also sent these wigs to Çanakkale," he said.

"The cancer patients come here with a broken heart and soon lose their hair, which depresses them even more. So we donate these wigs to bring smiles to their faces, which is a great happiness for us. We have about 150 models and we make changes to the wigs if necessary. We are working on this project with determination and we do not charge any fee for the wigs," he said.

Meliha Yıldız, 64, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2008 and was also given a wig when she lost her hair. She thanked the team for their assistance, expressing that "Life is beautiful in every way, but hair adds to your beauty."