Free Wigs for Cancer Patients in Bangladesh
Chemotherapy often takes a patient's hair, and with it, a part of their confidence. Cancer CARE Bangladesh (CCB) gives real-hair wigs to cancer patients in Bangladesh completely free. The wigs are made from hair donated by people across the country: 228 donors from 37 districts in all 8 divisions. So far, 15 patients have received a free wig.
Who can apply?
Any cancer patient in Bangladesh who has lost hair, or expects to lose hair during treatment, can apply. A family member or another close person may fill in the application on the patient's behalf.
How to apply: step by step
- Open the wig application on the website: cancercarebd.org/#/wig-apply.
- Fill in the patient's details and the treatment information requested.
- Answer the three consent questions honestly. Answering No never affects getting a wig.
- The team reviews the application and contacts the applicant directly about the next steps and timeline.
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What to expect
One wig needs hair from about 9 to 10 donors, because donated hair is pooled and sorted, and about half of all strands are rejected as too short or damaged. Making a wig takes about a month or more, and wig making has a manufacturing cost which is borne personally by the organisation's founder and partly by the wig maker himself. The patient never pays anything.
The organisation is honest about one more thing: a wig cannot be worn all the time, and that is completely fine. Having no hair is nothing to be ashamed of. The wig is a gift of immediate support for the days a patient wants it.
A community, not just a wig
Patients and families also join a wider support network: weekly online sessions, a community group called "CCB | We Are Not Alone", and the podcast The Healing Voice, where patients share their stories with consent. Cancer CARE Bangladesh (CCB) provides awareness and peer support only, never medical advice; medical questions are answered by doctors in the weekly Doctor Q&A sessions.
Frequently asked questions
Is the wig really free? Yes, completely. The organisation never charges patients.
Can a family member apply for a patient? Yes, a close person may apply on the patient's behalf.
How long does it take? Making one wig takes about a month or more; the team confirms the timeline with each applicant.