Charity funding provides free wigs and other items to support cancer patients.

Staff at Leeds Cancer Centre offer a free service to patients, providing wigs and other items to improve well-being and self esteem.

Since 2020, Leeds Hospitals Charity has provided funding to provide free wigs for Leeds Cancer Support, a service at Leeds Cancer Centre that provides support for cancer patients.

For patients who undergo treatment that can often lead to hair loss, this can help reduce the financial burden of purchasing a wig through NHS prescription.

Read more: Leeds Cancer Centre

Initially, over £70,000.00 was allocated and last year, thanks to donations, we provided an additional £50,000 to continue to offer all patients the opportunity to have a free wig. Over the past four years, Leeds Cancer Support has been able to provide 1,149 cancer patients with a quality wig which are fitted professionally by qualified hairdressers.

Blonde and brunette wig on mannequin head

Patients can also attend a monthly Hair Loss Workshop hosted by Leeds Cancer where attendees receive professional advice, guidance and support from the Hair Loss Support team. This is done in a safe and friendly environment with other people going through the same or similar experiences.

By funding the wigs, we are helping improve the overall well-being of cancer patients who may experience emotional and practical challenges with hair loss during treatment.

The team have received hugely positive feedback from families and carers who shared how their loved ones have regained confidence and been able to overcome some of the emotional challenges associated with hair loss.

A cancer patient who accessed the free wig service said, “I was amazed by how good the wigs looked and felt so much more self-confident about myself on this journey. It was purely down to kindness, empathy and knowledge that made me feel like this. I am very pleased with the wig the support team helped me choose. Thank you again, and of course to Leeds Hospital Charity, for making all this possible.”

Thanks to continued funding from Leeds Hospitals Charity, Leeds Cancer Support has been able to successfully implement a program that has significantly enhanced the lives of cancer patients. The provision of free wigs has not only relieved financial burdens but also contributed to a more positive and inclusive patient experience. Leeds Cancer Support also aims to address health inequalities by offering people of all ethnicities access to the provision of wigs suitable for their individual needs.

Leeds Cancer Support (Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre)

Leeds Cancer Support (located within the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre) complements clinical care by offering information and a wide range of holistic support in a warm and welcoming environment. The centre’s services are available to anyone who has been affected by cancer: both patients and those supporting them. The centre benefits from specialist staff and trained volunteers who run services and meet patients and their carers.

Over the last year, charitable funding has continued to fund the provision of the hair loss service, which offers practical and emotional
support for people experiencing hair loss due to cancer treatments. Previously, clients would have to pay prescription charges for their wigs, with a cost of around £78.15, meaning some patients didn’t take up the offer of a wig, even though they would have liked to. Our funding has enabled Leeds Cancer Support to open up the service to every patient, regardless of their ability to pay.

For information about the services offered by Leeds Cancer Support at the Sir Robert Ogden Centre, visit the Leeds Teaching Hospitals website on the link below:

Leeds Cancer Support

Leeds Cancer Centre

Leeds Cancer Centre is one of the largest cancer centres in the UK and provide some of the most up-to-date treatment, care and support for people with cancer.

Latest

Help us raise the final £500k needed to build the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease

“Although building work has now started on site, we still need the public to get behind us, with half a million pounds left to reach our fundraising target."
Michelle's Story: Convivo

Michelle shares her story and how charity funded technology has given her the best possible chance at life.
Charity funding helps Leeds become the first hospital in the UK to benefit from revolutionary technology for patients with brain tumours

We have invested £150,000 to fund state-of-the-art equipment to more effectively diagnose brain tumours in real-time during an operation.
Hello My Name Is Day 2024

"The #hellomynameis campaign helps provide better compassionate care to patients - not just in Leeds, not just in the UK, but around the world."

Michelle's Story: Convivo

Michelle shares her story and how charity funded technology has given her the best possible chance at life.
Charity funding helps Leeds become the first hospital in the UK to benefit from revolutionary technology for patients with brain tumours

We have invested £150,000 to fund state-of-the-art equipment to more effectively diagnose brain tumours in real-time during an operation.
Hello My Name Is Day 2024

"The #hellomynameis campaign helps provide better compassionate care to patients - not just in Leeds, not just in the UK, but around the world."
Leeds Hospitals Charity campaign highlights need for Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease in Leeds

As part of the campaign, we hear from two MND patients, Rob and Nonly, who are cared for by the clinical team at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, who run the current MND service at Seacroft Hospital.
Ground-breaking moment – first diggers on site for the Rob Burrow Centre for MND

Following the sad news of the death of Rob Burrow, the ground-breaking took place today at Seacroft Hospital of the new Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
Activity packs for young children with a newborn sibling in hospital

Charity funding has allowed the neonatal unit to provide older siblings with packs that help them adapt to having a younger sibling in hospital.
Family of Leeds United legend Norman Hunter raise over £110,000 to support research to find a cure for Leukaemia

Norman’s family heard from researchers and clinicians working on these trials, as well as patient Cathy, who is part of a clinical trial.
Gift in Wills enable Leeds Hospitals Charity to kickstart UK first innovation at Leeds Teaching Hospitals

In 2021, Leeds Hospitals Charity were able to invest £10,000 to kickstart Mr Rathore’s important work.
Donations fund specialist Chaplain to support cancer and end of life patients

Frin Lewis-Smith joined the chaplaincy team earlier this year, providing dedicated support to people living with cancer and on end of life care in our hospitals.
Research shouldn’t be an ‘optional extra’ - it should be an integral part of patient care

"We're giving children the opportunity to participate in trials that can help us develop the best treatments for poorly children and improve outcomes."