“My wig gave me one thing that cancer didn’t: a choice.”

“My name is Mila and last September, when I was 19 years old, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.”

When Mila received her cancer diagnosis, she felt like she had lost control over her life. From being unable to return to university to continue her Law degree, to not being able to see her friends due to chemotherapy affecting her immune system, Mila began experiencing many unknowns in a short space of time.

She admitted: “The prospect of losing my hair felt particularly painful because I knew from the start that it would happen. It felt like a loss that I would not be able to hide from myself or others”.

It felt like a loss that I would not be able to hide from myself or others.

At the beginning of her treatment, Mila's medical team referred her to us here at The Little Princess Trust. It was at this stage that Mila started to find positives in her cancer journey, in the form of her very own real hair wig!

Whilst at her wig consultation, Mila chose to stray from her natural hair colour, and embrace a different shade all together, admitting “I had wanted to try this hair colour for a while. My excitement at receiving my wig started to overshadow the sadness of losing my hair.”

My excitement at receiving my wig started to overshadow the sadness of losing my hair.

As someone who enjoys experimenting with her image, and putting together different outfits with matching accessories and hairstyles, Mila was over the moon to now be able to take back her own identity.

Thrilled at the thought of being able to express herself through her new wig, Mila decided to shave her head and donate her long locks towards our Hair and Hope mission before it started to fall out.

She told us: “I liked thinking it could go towards someone else having their dream wig - just as I was about to receive mine. This was an emotional moment as it was one step towards accepting that cancer had walked into my life.

"By wearing my LPT wig, I was able to have a hairstyle I was proud of and excited about whenever I wanted. Wearing it helped me to slowly accept that, despite all the physical changes, I am still Mila.”

Wearing it helped me to slowly accept that despite all the physical changes, I am still Mila.

From wearing her wig day to day, to embracing her hair loss, Mila admitted that, “some people might think that a wig is to hide hair loss but, for me, it was quite the opposite! My wig gave me one thing that cancer didn’t: a choice.”

Thanks to our incredible supporters, we are able to create these wigs using real hair donations, making them extremely real looking and comfortable for our wonderful wig recipients to wear. Those looking to change their appearance, like Mila, also have the option to go for various colours and styles!

My wig gave me one thing that cancer didn’t: a choice.

Following on from her treatment, Mila’s hair has now started to grow back; despite this, however, she still finds that her LPT wig is a huge part of her day to day life. She told us, “It has made me smile so much, and when I felt at my worst, I could try it on and see someone more familiar looking back.

"My wig empowers me to decide how I want to express my identity. I don’t call it my wig, I call it my hair because that’s what it has become. From the first time I tried it on, I felt relief because I knew that when my hair fell out, it would still be there for me.”

It has made me smile so much, and when I felt at my worst, I could try it on and see someone more familiar looking back.

If you would like to learn more about ordering a wig for either yourself or a loved one, simply click here to head to our ‘Request a Wig’ page.