LOSING her hair during cancer treatment was the biggest fear for 22-year-old Laura Taylor. Fortunately she was one of those young people who have received wigs thanks to a Hereford charity.

“Having this wig gave me my confidence back and has made me feel like me again,” she added. The Little Princess Trust has reached the major milestone of providing 10,000 wigs to youngsters who have lost their own hair due to cancer treatment and other conditions such as Alopecia.

The wigs help to restore the confidence and identity of the young recipients at what can be a very tough time in their lives.

It costs on average £550 to make, fit and style each wig The charity has only been able to run its free service thanks to the wonderful backing of its huge family of supporters who, in many cases, ensured their hair donations were accompanied by much-needed fundraising.

The Little Princess Trust does not employ any specialist fundraisers so the donations are vital. Callum Boyd, another wig recipient said that ‘losing your hair can be quite intimidating and signals that everything in your life has changed’.

“So getting a wig fitted helps to bring back some sort of normality and boosts your self-esteem,” he added. The Little Princess Trust was set up in 2006 in memory of Hannah Tarplee after her parents struggled to find a suitable wig for their daughter following her diagnosis with a Wilms Tumour.

That first year saw 36 wigs given to young people. Fast forward to 2020 and that figure is expected to surpass 2,000.

That substantial rise in wig provision is, in part, down to the network of incredible staff working in hospitals across the country – many of whom refer their patients to trust. The charity is also very grateful to the many hair professionals across the UK who form part of the trust’s official network of approved salons and ensure the wigs are fitted with compassion, care and a great deal of skill.

It can take up to 14 individual hair donations to make one wig and so the trust is indebted to the thousands of supporters who have selflessly donated their long locks.

Wendy Tarplee-Morris, The Little Princess Trust co-founder said: “We know through our wonderful wig recipients just how important hair is to your identity so we are incredibly grateful to all of our generous supporters who have cut their hair to help our charity.

“These donations, many of which are accompanied by fundraising, mean we can continue to help so many children and young people.”

Thanks to the help from so many people, The Little Princess Trust now also funds pioneering institutions and experts leading the way in researching paediatric cancer. And since 2016, they have committed more than £7million to projects focused on finding kinder and more effective treatments for childhood cancers.

Phil Brace, Chief Executive of The Little Princess Trust, said: “We are providing wigs to more young people every year and are committed to fund even more on ground-breaking research in the future.

“It is important to say that we have only been able to help so many young people and provide 10,000 wigs thanks to the continued support we receive from so many wonderful people.

“A huge thanks goes out to each and every one of you for allowing us to give Hair and Hope to young people.”