Finding out that a loved one has cancer can turn your world upside down. Suddenly, your only concern is making sure that they have all of the support and resources necessary to get healthy. And a huge part of this is helping to keep their spirits up.
But when one teenager’s family decided that they would all shave their heads in solidarity with his niece who’s battling cancer, he just couldn’t get behind their idea. Below, you’ll find all of the details that this teen recently shared on Reddit, as well as some of the replies invested readers left him.
This teen was devastated to hear that his niece had been diagnosed with cancer
Image credits: MikeShots / Envato (not the actual photo)
But now, his relatives are putting immense pressure on him to shave his head
Image credits: peus80 / Envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: bialasiewicz / Envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: alakazam121
It's extremely important for family members to show support to those battling cancer
Image credits: Kateryna Hliznitsova / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
According to the American Cancer Society, Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, or ALL, is not a very common type of cancer. In fact, it only accounts for less than .5% of all cancers in the United States. However, the risk for developing ALL is highest amongst children under the age of five.
It’s estimated that the US will see about 6,100 new cases of ALL this year. And sadly, about 1,400 may not survive. But children have the best chance of beating ALL, as Cancer Research UK reports that survival rates among children can reach up to 90%.
Unsurprisingly, living with ALL isn’t easy. The Cleveland Clinic notes that symptoms may include bleeding, bruising, fatigue, frequent infections, joint pain, loss of appetite, night sweats, paleness, shortness of breath, swollen lymph nodes and unexplained weight loss.
So as with any form of cancer, it’s important to try to keep the ill person’s spirits up. This can be particularly crucial for children, who may not fully understand their diagnosis, treatment or what they’re going through.
Proton International recommends helping the child learn how to explore and embrace their emotions. It can also be helpful to celebrate all victories, big or small. They might be interested in joining a support group, especially if they can make friends their age who are going through similar experiences.
And when possible, it’s a good idea to have spaces where the child can play and enjoy life that aren’t connected to the hospital at all. This might allow them to feel “normal” again and get back to their old self, at least for a moment.
But patients have mixed opinions on whether or not it's a good idea for loved ones to shave their heads
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Now, when it comes to whether or not it’s encouraged to shave your head in support of a loved one who has cancer, people have mixed opinions. Do It For Cancer notes on their site that this can be an excellent way to show support, especially if you turn it into a way to raise money.
For example, loved ones can “auction off” sections of their hair or let the highest bidder decide what hairstyle or color they should rock. Then, all of the proceeds will go towards their ill friend or family member's treatment. Another option is waxing your entire body (legs, chest, back, etc.) to hilariously support someone you love who has lost all of their hair due to chemotherapy.
However, UVA Health says that before making any drastic decisions, it’s important to consider your loved one’s feelings. Not everyone is thrilled about the idea of all of their friends and family members shaving their heads, as this can turn into a constant visual reminder of their cancer.
At the same time, some people argue that shaving your head draws way too much attention and makes someone else’s illness all about you. Plus, it can be frustrating to see how quickly friends’ and family members’ hair grows back, if the person undergoing chemo doesn’t see the same growth for a long time.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation, pandas. Do you think this teen made the right choice by refusing to give into his family’s pressure? Feel free to weigh in. Then, you can find another Bored Panda article discussing similar family drama right here.
Many readers took the teen's side, noting that shaving his head wouldn't help his niece's treatment
However, some thought that the teen was selfish for choosing to keep his hair
