THE Craigie family is on a mission to buy wigs for their mother Dorothy, after she lost her hair due to chemotherapy treatment.
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“She is being treated for a malignant tumour in her lung,” her son William said.
The family hopes to raise $1,000 through their go-fund-me campaign, which will afford at least three wigs.
“She is a woman that loves her appearance and hair, so you can understand how she felt when she saw her hair start to fall out,” William said.
Dorothy was diagnosed with cancer late last year. Since then, the family has been on an emotional roller-coaster, taking the frightful ride one day at a time.
“Everything is just all over the place at the moment,” William said.
Dorothy must make the trip to the hospital at Tamworth to receive her treatment. Her family take turns to make the 3 hour drive.
Each session of chemotherapy lasts three days, meaning Dorothy must spend time away from her family.
“Dorothy is a family-oriented person who just loves spending time with her grandchildren. To be away from them is hard for her,” William said.
Dorothy has already been through two sessions and chemotherapy, and eight remain. Though, the struggle doesn’t end there, as she will then receive radiation.
While the chemotherapy is fighting the cancerous tumour, it is also having an effect on Dorothy’s white blood cell count.
“Her immune system isn’t as strong: it’s easier for her to catch a cold,” William said.
Although William said his mother had shown great displays of strength and resilience throughout the course of her treatment, he noticed an emotional turnaround when her hair started to fall out.
“One day she woke up and there was hair all over the pillow and floor. Even though we knew what was happening, that moment really hit home the reality that she has cancer.”
He said the trips to the hospital had also taken their toll.
“The chemotherapy and the trips back and forth between Tamworth and Moree has a tiring effect.”
The struggle with cancer has no doubt left William and his family feeling cut up. She is described as a loving and honest woman, who’s passion is her family.
“She has eight grandchildren. The youngest is one-and-a-half years old and the eldest is 20,” William said.
He added, some of the younger grandchildren were too young to understand what was happening, but had already started to ask questions, why their grandmothers hair had started to fall out.
“I tell them that grandmother’s a bit sick. That she’s going to be a bit sick for a while, but the hair will grow back,” William said.
William’s partner Kirstie Havan McKenzie urges people to head to their go-fund-me page and kindly donate to their campaign.
“It’s a difficult time for the family. We would love to raise money to buy Dorothy real hair wigs. The family appreciates any donation large or small.”
