Sharman's Story
My name is Sharman, I have had Alopecia Areata, the same type as Charlotte, virtually all of my 37 years and understand all too well the grief and embarrassment this condition causes as a child and as an adult.
I first had bald patches when I was four and since then have always had -at least- patches throughout my otherwise thick hair. I lost all of my hair at the sensitive age of 13 and was teased and tormented mercilessly by the other kids for 2 years. There was no understanding or support offered from the school and eventually I chose to start again at a new school, thankfully by then it had mostly grown back and I was able to be just another normal student, not bullied or ridiculed for something I couldn't help.
After that I managed to keep most of my hair, even through 2 pregnancies and could cover the patches with my thick hair and clever hairstyles. I really dreaded windy days though! My hair is naturally dark and so sometimes I even coloured in the patches with a black permanent marker!
I lost all my hair again four years ago, which is how it has been until now. This is the longest I have suffered with all of my hair gone and it is the absolute bane of my life. Don't get me wrong, I am glad of course that this disease doesn't make me sick but it is hard having my everyday activities affected.
I don't go to the beach with my children or swimming or to the gym, because with the cheap wigs I can afford being thick and heavy and itchy and hot, I need to not wear one, wear a scarf, feel ugly and be looked at, with sympathy by -well meaning- people who assume I have cancer. I hate that!
I also suffer with hay-fever now from having no nasal hair and get very tired and lethargic when the Alopecia is happening, because my body is fighting itself I guess.
As a single parent of 2 girls now aged 11 and 15 and also studying a Social Work degree, I just can’t afford the custom made wigs I know are out there which would make such a huge difference to my life
I buy my wigs from overseas via ebay and while they look ok, they are so so so uncomfortable and give me headaches a lot of the time. You are always worrying about them coming off too.
When I saw what Matty and Rebecca Adamson are doing with The Princess Charlotte Foundation I was so excited! What a truly fantastic thing they are doing and what an incredible difference they will be making in the lives of those they assist.
I spoke with Matty on the phone after contacting the foundation and when he told me that they would be able to assist me with one of the beautiful custom made 'Freedom Wigs', I was speechless. I had so many emotions and couldn't believe that sometime in the next few months I would be able to do all of those things I mentioned earlier without my first and foremost thought being my hair, whether I had to wear my wig or a scarf and whether the activity was more important to me than the negative feelings I had about wearing a scarf in public. I was so grateful and so happy, I just cant wait!
A big big thank you to the Adamsons and The Princess Charlotte Foundation for what they are doing for people with all types of Alopecia, including the financial help with the wigs, the support and understanding they are offering and the huge effort they are putting into bringing Alopecia into the public spotlight, which is a massive part of making an alopecia sufferers journey less painful by creating awareness and therefore hopefully understanding as well.
Sharman Keith
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