Braid Your Way to Charity!
Well, well, well! It seems the UNAM Faculty of Medicine has teamed up with the IMSS Foundation and decided to take hair-raising action (pun absolutely intended) with their “Braiding Help” campaign. Now, this is all in the spirit of International Breast Cancer Day. Why? Because chemotherapy can leave people looking like they joined a hipster barbershop quartet—except they didn’t sign up for that!
Where to Donate Hair for Breast Cancer Patients?
So, if you’ve got luscious locks that they could use, listen up! The donation call was for Friday the 18th at the UNAM Faculty of Medicine, but fear not, there’s a whole salon of options where you can donate that hair of yours—even if it means giving up those beloved beads and braids!
Here’s a quick lowdown on where you can send your hair:
- IMSS Foundation
- Phone: 01800 9120912, (55) 5238 2700 ext. 10077
- For further inquiries: (55) 5211 2728
- Office hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Hair Requirements
- At least 40 centimeters long, clean, and dry.
- Dyed is a yes, bleached is a no—sorry blondes!
- You can braid it, cut it, and deliver it. Easy-peasy!
Want more options? You’re in luck! Here are a few more fabulous places to donate your hair:
- Telethon Mexico—Creating wigs for children battling cancer.
- AC Tapitas Bank—The Rapunzel Movement collects hair for oncological wigs for women and girls. No, you won’t get a tower in return.
- ISEM AC Volunteering—Located in Toluca, they make pretty wigs too!
- Mexico Smiles—Donating hair? They’ve got you covered in Cuajimalpa de Morelos! (And you don’t need to smile at the receptionist; they won’t mind.)
International Day to Fight Breast Cancer
Mark your calendars, folks! October 19th is when we all rally together for the International Day to Fight Breast Cancer. Founded by the WHO in 1988—when mullets were in fashion and the internet was in diapers—this day aims to raise awareness and promote early detection of this dreadful disease. Because let’s face it, ignoring it won’t make it vanish, like your socks in the dryer!
What is Breast Cancer?
To break it down for you: breast cancer is when breast cells decide to party too hard and start multiplying uncontrollably, leading to some rather unwelcome guests we call malignant tumors. If left unchecked, these party crashers can spread through blood and lymph, making a real mess of things—kind of like that pizza you left in the fridge for too long!
In Mexico, the stats are sobering. In 2023, there were around 8,034 deaths from breast cancer, according to INEGI. That’s not just numbers; that’s heartache, folks. So, prevention is crucial, and early detection is key!
Signs to Look Out For
Here’s the alarm bell you need to listen for if you’re over 20:
- Bumps that just shouldn’t be there
- Strange veins that seem to be on a mission
- Slits and other mysterious formations
- Skin changes, like it auditioning for a horror movie
- And a multitude of other signs that scream ‘check me out!’
6 Steps for a Breast Self-Examination
Now, we all love a good checklist, don’t we? Here’s how to keep those breast pirates at bay:
- Put your right hand on the back of your neck (who knew you could multitask?)
- With your left hand, feel your right breast. Yes, there’s no shame here.
- Start from the top and glide down, like you’re on a breast exam waterslide.
- Don’t forget the armpit area—because that’s exactly where they like to hide.
- Give the nipple a gentle squeeze—no, not just for fun. Check for any odd leakage.
- Switch to the other breast and repeat. Think of it like yoga for your breasts—stretch, feel, and breathe.
And there you have it! A little effort on your part can go a long way. So let’s get some hair donations flowing, raise awareness, and—above all—keep the communication lines open. Remember, laughter is the best medicine, but sometimes, getting checked and donating hair is right up there too!
The UNAM Faculty of Medicine, in collaboration with the IMSS Foundation, launched a campaign “Braiding Help”to encourage hair donation within the framework of International Breast Cancer Day, since treatments for this disease, such as chemotherapy, produce side effects such as hair loss.
Where to donate hair for breast cancer patients?
Although the call was for Friday the 18th at the UNAM Faculty of Medicine, we share data on places to donate hair in addition to the IMSS Foundation.
IMSS Foundation
- 01800 9120912 (55) 5238 2700 ext. 10077
- (55) 5211 2728
- Office hours are Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- To donate hair, it is recommended that it be at least 40 centimeters long, clean and dry, and can be dyed, but not bleached.
- You can braid it, cut it and have it ready to deliver.
- It manufactures oncological wigs for boys, girls and young people with cancer or any health condition that has affected their hair.
- Through the Rapunzel Movement program, she collects hair braids to make oncological wigs for adult women and girls.
- Receive hair donations at the DIFEM fundraising unit, located in Puerto de Palos #211, Col. Isidro Fabela, First Section, Toluca, State of Mexico.
- Receive hair donations at the Collection Center, located at Loma Florida 1 interior 15, Lomas de Vista Hermosa, Cuajimalpa de Morelos 05100 CDMX.
International Day to Fight Breast Cancer
This October 19th is celebrated International Day to Fight Breast Cancer cIt is the main objective of raising awareness among the world’s population about this disease and promoting early detection.
The date was established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1988 as a date to unify efforts globally and raise awareness about this disease that affects millions of women around the world.
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a disease characterized by the uncontrolled multiplication of breast cells that leads to the formation of malignant tumors. If not treated promptly, it can spread throughout the body through blood and lymph vessels and cause death.
In Mexico, according to preliminary figures from the Statistics of Registered Deaths (EDR) of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), during 2023, 89,633 deaths were recorded due to malignant tumors in people aged 20 years and over.
Of these, 8,034 were attributed to breast cancer, which represented 9.0% of the total.
According to information from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS)For early detection, it is important to identify some signs:
- Bumps
- growing veins
- Slits
- Internal Bulk
- Skin erosions
- Nipple subsidence
- Orange Skin
- Redness and burning
- Gaps
- Asymmetry
- Unknown fluids
- Hardening
6 steps for a breast self-examination
To detect breast cancer, the IMSS recommends breast self-examination, which should be performed every month starting at age 20. To perform self-examination, you can:
- Place your right hand on the back of your neck
- With your left hand, touch your right breast
- Start from the top, feeling around the breast and then in the center
- Check the entire armpit
- Squeeze the nipple to see if there is abnormal fluid leakage
- Explore the other breast in the same way
Diagnostic mammography is recommended in women after any of the signs are detected.
