We beat cancer and created a wonderful charity supporting others through hair loss as a result of chemotherapy treatment.

Semifinalist:
Joe Milazzo
Salon: Esente Hair
18 Leopold road
Wimbledon
London
England

Story:
In 2014 my wife Lina was diagnosed with  Breast Cancer.  A complete shock to her, myself and our young family.  Even though the Cancer should have been my wife’s biggest worry it wasn’t.  Once we knew that chemotherapy treatment was the only way forward after a serious diagnosis and operation to remove the tumour.  We Knew once the treatment started we were told that there was a 90% Chance of full hair loss.  Devastated for my wife as she was always known for her long bouncy blow dries in the school playground or out partying.  It was a journey and one that was the most painful but also one that changed our lives and created something special and has given hope to 100’s already that our, Charity HAIR REBORN has looked after.

Timing:
Whilst my wife started her chemotherapy treatment in August 2014 we found that little information was out there as to what to do if the hair fell out apart from cut it short, the nurses said “and well you’ll want to shave it off soon”.  It was the worst experience for my wife but I was upset, angry and couldn’t believe that there was no real information especially from my industry.  No one had looked at this, so many things needed answering?

What do I do? Do I shampoo my scalp? What is going to happen to my hair once I finish?  All everyone is saying is its going to come back different, Very different!

So it was here that I thought I must do something. Looking learning speaking and helping people in waiting rooms whilst my wife was having various appointments I witnessed and heard all sorts of stories of how many women were in despair,  just couldn’t face the world with the wigs they had and the new hair which indeed was very different.  And it wasn’t just the ladies men too had similar stories.  I was on a mission.

So I created a program, simple to work with offering 3 FREE appointments in my downtime when I was quiet.  Offering just a maximum of 3 appointment slots a week and spacing out rebooking them 10 weeks apart.  I trialed the program myself using the help of Macmillan cancer support in one of London’s biggest hospitals just 5 min from my salon, St Georges Hospital, Tooting , London.

Macmillan helpers Cathryn and Estelle have been monumental in the growth of my Support Charity guiding the first patients to our HELPLINE and my wife Lina was the voice at the other end.  Kind, sincere and with empathy she answered all the calls that came through.  She then guided them to me and I began their 3 Step Program rato gently trim their hair back to health. And in just 6 months they had a style.

Emotional in the salon these wonderful guests would put their wigs away and say…. “Thank you I feel i am reborn,  I have my life back.”

Soon Macmillan and the nurses heard what we were doing and so we grew and after looking after over 60 people over 2 years developing the program completely free of charge our Charity formed and we enlisted help from salons around UK wanting to join and help with the program I started.  To date we have 16 salons in the UK with another 25 Salons joining in the next 18 Months.

HAIR REBORN CHARITY is now officially a partner and Official Hair Loss Cancer experts for  TEENAGE CANCER TRUST CHARITY and we are proud.  We are also partnered with many other hospitals and charities in the UK.  Maggies, Macmillan, Royal Marsden to name a few.

We created the Charity for my industry, to teach, learn and share our support to help all those in need.  Just one appointment a week can make a huge difference to someone’s life. And it all started in our salon, ESENTE HAIR in Wimbledon, London.

Please visit our website for all our details and story: www.hairreborn.org