Henna Heals is a Toronto-based organization managed by a group of artists who created “Henna Crowns” as a form of empowerment for patients who have loss their hairs from cancer or other diseases.
From complex floral patterns to religious symbols and message of blessings these beautiful henna crowns help cancer patients who often seek to hide their heads beneath wigs of hats.
“For cancer patients, the henna crowns really are a healing experience,” said Frances Darwin, the founder of Henna Heals. “This is all about them reclaiming a part of themselves that would normally be perceived as ill or damaged or not nice to look at and making it more feminine and beautiful.”
I got in touch with Michelle (photographed below) facing the disease Alopecia, she shared her experience about henna crowns and impact of hair loss in society.
I developed Alopecia 3 years ago (I am now 52). I had long dark beautiful hair. Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the hair follicles thinking its a foreign body. Some with the disease lose patches of the hair; some lose all of the scalp hair; and some have the more severe of the disease (Alopecia Universalis) loss of all body hair. 1-3% of the population have it. There is no cure. While there is no health complications the psychological impact is enormous.
Losing my hair was very traumatic. It took a long time to come to terms with my new appearance. I grieved the loss of my hair. I tried many treatments that failed. I am very uncomfortable wearing wigs. I wore hats and scarves until I became comfortable going ‘natural’. I was introduced to Henna Heals in the fall of last year. I had just began to go out into the community without a hat. I had the opportunity to have a henna crown. I cannot tell you how that experience impacted my life. The experience of the henna crown made me feel attractive. I felt empowered in my journey of acceptance of AU.
via: hennaheals – huffingtonpost
These are beautiful. We lost our mom during recovery from surgery in 2000. I know she would have loved this. Thank you.