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Published: Oct. 30, 2023 at 8:39 AM PDT
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - More than 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
And as many go through chemo and/or radiation to fight the disease they battle not only physical fatigue, but mental and emotional challenges too.
“It’s one of the hardest things to hear, you know.”
And for Nathacha Rock, she’s had to hear those words twice.
“When I was diagnosed with cancer, especially during the second time it came back, stage 4, there are not a lot of survivors with stage 4 cancer. I had to go through 3 or 4 medicines before we found the one that would control the cancer so that was really hard for me,” Rock said.
And those medications that were meant to save her caused her to lose one of her favorite parts about herself her hair.
“Hair loss is very traumatic because it comes off in clumps. It doesn’t just fall off nice and dainty. As soon as it started falling out I went to a friend to help me shave it off because I didn’t want to wake up with a head full of hair on the pillow.”
It is something she says no one can be ready for.
“The doctors tell you you’re going to lose your hair, but they don’t tell you about your eyelashes or eyebrows and hair everywhere goes. So looking in the mirror I didn’t even recognize myself.”
And while Natatcha was going through one of the hardest times of her life...she felt some comfort in documenting her journey online. And that’s where Stefini Jones, an owner of a local wig shop, comes in.
“I’ve been following Tasha’s story for a while since she had her cancer. I’ve always been drawn to her story and I saw that she lost her hair and as soon as I saw that I was in the process of a wig giveaway. So I posted on FB “put a name who do you think deserves this wig for breast cancer survivors” and a few people posted her name and I was like okay I think she’s the winner, so I reached out to her and told her, you won a wig from me and she was very happy. I brought her in we did the head measurements and we had the full consultation,” Jones said.
And after finding the right fit, Natatcha says she immediately feet her confidence come back.
“It made me feel really good. It’s just like I said, hair is a part of you. I know people who walk around bald I just can’t do it myself, it’s a big part of me. So just having this to fit my head and wear, it just meant the world to me.”
And it showed her a whole new side of herself, too.
”I’m thinking about platinum blonde one day, that’s what my daughter wanted to try me on.”
“You are not your hair; you are more beautiful than your hair but at the same time we know that the hair plays a role into making you feel like you never felt before. So, I think it’s important to give women that confidence to get them through the day.
Get them through their day and their life.
“Saying bye to each other.”
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