King Charles delights Cancer Hair Care founder at Buckingham Palace visit
Representatives of Cancer Hair Care, a hair loss support charity service, were invited by the King and Queen to attend a reception at Buckingham Palace last Wednesday (30 April).
Cancer Hair Care was founded by Cambridge-based Jasmin Julia Gupta, the only hairdresser in the UK to be an NHS nurse educator.
“I’m not a professional medical nurse,” she said, “but I work with nurses all the time to help them to understand what the limitations are.”
Jasmin’s team of hair loss specialists and volunteers offer free, expert advice and support on all aspects of hair loss, such as hair loss prevention (scalp cooling) and hair care before, during and after cancer treatment.
Jasmin was accompanied by three members of said team – Corrina, Marc and Margherita – to meet Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla at the palace.
Jasmin describes meeting the King and Queen as a “lovely experience, it was very special”.
She continued: “I was invited in recognition of the charity that I founded, called Cancer Hair Care – I’m a hairdresser by trade.
“Locally, in Cambridge, we hold workshops at the Maggie’s Centre, so that’s why we were invited. I took three of our team along with us and it was an amazing experience.
“We were in the ballroom in Buckingham Palace and it was full of people; just like us they were everyday folk that have contributed to cancer support.
“I didn’t expect to meet the King, which was really something very special. I held this hair loss dolly up in the air and gave it a little wave, because there were crowds of people around him.
“He came over and we had a long conversation, and he was very warm and very interested. He looked me straight in the eye and I just felt that he was completely present with me.
“He chatted very interestingly, he really wanted to know the details of what we do and how we support people.”
On the “unique hair loss dolls”, of the type Jasmin held up for His Majesty, she explains that they are “knitted by over 100 volunteers UK wide”.
“The one in the picture is a special edition,” she noted. “They form part of our ‘Crown Club’, free resources to help children understand hair loss and are available free-of-charge from our charity.”
As Cancer Hair Care’s information specialist, Corrina started her chemotherapy treatment hair loss journey with Cancer Hair Care back in 2018 when she met Jasmin at one of the charity’s clinics at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage.
Corrina said: “Cancer Hair Care supported me all the way through my hair loss including my first hair cuts and colours. Now I support others during their time of need.”
Also invited to the palace were Marc and Margherita. Jasmin explained: “Margherita and Marc were the first two volunteers for Cancer Hair Care.
“They have been there come rain or shine with a clear goal to serve the cancer community.”
Jasmin said: “It’s really clear to me that the King’s personal experience [of cancer] has really opened up a door where he can see the holistic value of all the community organisations, like Cancer Hair Care, that are doing these everyday things.
“He’s realised that he can bring a huge weight of influence and really help all organisations, big or small, to get further along the pathway to support people.
“It was really something special to witness and I’ve got no doubt that his personal experience will drive that holistic viewpoint and inspire other people.
“I really wish the King all the best with his treatment and this clear mission that he’s on to, through the community, really raise the profile of smaller community organisations.”
Jasmin also met Queen Camilla.
“The Queen took great care and interest in our hair loss dolls and the work of our charity. In particular she was interested in our free wig bank service, providing pre-loved wigs across the UK,” she said.
Visit cancerhaircare.co.uk.
