Hair For Hospice

This entry will stay up here for the duration of the Hair for Hospice Charity Campaign. Please scroll down for new entries.

In those dark hours, the Hospice was like the sun shining through an opening in the clouds after an exceptionally terrifying storm.
September 24th, 2005

The Lesson
“Say thank you to aunty,” I can still hear Mum’s voice instructing me after I was given an ang pau. That was decades ago. I was still a toddler then. That lesson in gratitude was drummed into me again and again by my parents throughout my childhood. It is one of those manners in politeness that will be difficult forget.

The Reason
For the longest time, I thought hard about how I could return the kindness that the Penang Hospice-At-Home-Programme had showered on Mum and me. A kindness received must be reciprocated, no matter what. I am truly grateful that at a time when I had needed help most, the Hospice was there. Their just being there was enough consolation but they made available the resources to help Mum cope with her illness.

The Gratitude
Mum has passed away but that act of unconditional benevolence is one that I will always remember. I am certain that if Mum were still alive today, she would have wanted to do something for the Hospice too. She is not, but I will carry this torch for her, and I have identified how I can achieve that.

The Campaign
I am pledging to shave my head to raise RM5,000.00 for the Penang Hospice-At-Home-Programme. This is removing forty two months worth of uncut hair from my scalp. I have invariably grown attached to them after so many years. It has become part of me, a distinct identity that I have come to be associated with. However, this is all for a cause that I strongly believe in. It is worth the sacrifice.

The Baldies
Two Three Four Five bloggers have pledged to shave their head along with me. They are Buangmasa.net, SapiensBryan.com, Sharizal Shaarani, Devyne and Jason Mumbles who willingly committed to join me when I shared with them the reasons I am doing this. James had coined a name for this campaign called “Hair For Hospice” which is very apt. We have targeted to achieve that amount by the end of October. We will shave our heads in November at a date to be determined later and will be announced in this blog.

The Cost
It costs RM31 for a palliative care nurse from the Hospice to visit a patient at home. The RM5,000.00 will be able to support 161 home visits. This is only a fraction of the RM290,000.00 that was spent in the year 2004 for a total of 9,325 visits to 485 patients. Patients are not charged for these visits and neither are they obliged to reciprocate in any other way. This is truly service from the heart, and one of the great examples of human compassion at its best.

The Donation Part
Donations can be in any amount. Tax exemption receipts will be issued for donations of RM50.00 and above. Please note that all donations by cheques must be sent directly to the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, Penang Branch or deposited into their bank account. No individual is authorised to collect donation in any other form for this cause. For donations via cheque, please write “Hair for Hospice” at the reverse side. For deposits or bank transfers, please email the transaction code, bank, branch, time, date and amount deposited to the Society with the header “Hair for Hospice” for record purposes to ncsmpg@tm.net.my and also a copy to me for updating the list below. Please also provide a mailing address for receipts to be issued and sent to you. For more information, please visit the Hospice’s website at http://www.creatgsee.com/hospice/donation.htm.

The Wish
My fervent wish is that my fellow bloggers and blog readers will contribute generously to this cause. I have experienced their generosity and I was truly touched. I hope others in a similar situation as what Mum went through will be able to receive the same when they need it. This is all I can do for now. Together with your support, many who need the Hospice-At-Home-Programme will get the support they need at the closing chapters of their lives. Please help me help them.

Supporting documents from the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, Penang Branch:
The Letter of Authorization
Donating instructions

List of Pledgers and Donors:
This list only contains the pledgers and donors who have
informed me and is in no way comprehensive or accurate.

Marita Paige (RM20)
9394 (RM300)
Jahabar Sadique (RM100)
Adam (RM100)
Tan Kah Leong (RM50)
Au Hun Boon (RM50 – paid)
Tang Wan Fong (RM50 – paid)
Wendy Ooi (RM200 – paid)
Wai Quan (RM20 – paid)
Virgorat (RM100 – paid)
FindingMe (RM100 – paid)
Sashi (RM50 – paid)
Lucia Lai (RM50 – paid)
Sharizal Shaarani (RM100 – paid)
BawangMerah (RM50 – paid)
Andrew Wong (RM50 – paid)
CK (RM50 – paid)
Eugene Phuah (RM20 – paid)
Evelyn Phuah (RM20 – paid)
Anonymous (RM10 – paid)
Tan Soon Leong(RM50 – paid)
Lee Cheng Guan (RM50 – paid)
Tan Ah Phong (RM50 – paid)
Loh Kok Teong (RM50 – paid)
How Sok Imm (RM20 – paid)
Tan Soon Aun (RM20 – paid)
Chan Yoot Mooi (RM10 – paid)
Anonymous (SBB 0140) (RM100 – paid)
ReallyBites (RM150 – paid)
Chan Kee Saik/Exabytes (RM1,000 – paid)
Liew Cheon Fong (RM350 – paid)
Allison Lai (RM50 – paid)
Nagula Selvakannu (RM50 – paid)
Anonymous (HLBB525117) (RM100 – paid)
Munirah Cheong (RM50 – paid)
Saw Cheow Lip (RM1,000 – paid)
Tanka (RM200 – paid)
Khoo Ee Fei (RM100 – paid)
Becky Ong (RM50 – paid)
Fat Cat Lim (RM100 – paid)
Kenny Sia (RM50 – paid)
Law Tien Soon (RM50 – paid)
Kervin Chong (RM50 – paid)
CYW (RM200 – paid)
Susan Chiang (RM100 – paid)

Total pledged: RM5,490
Total paid: RM4,920

Blogs promoting this campaign:
Buangmasa.net ~ Going Botak For Charity!
Angels Fly, Devils Rejoice…? ~ Hair For Hospice
Midnite Lily’s Think.Deck ~ Hair For Hospice
Minishorts.net ~ Finally!
Sashi-ism ~ Peter Tan’s Hair For Hospice Charity Campaign
SapiensBryan Blog ~ I Am Going Botak (Bald), Very Soon !
Beyond This Box ~ Shaving There For A Good Reason
Antworten Zum Universum ~ Pimp!
Les Perceptions Perpétuellement Permutantes ~ Shaving for Sharity: The Hospice at Home Programme
Foolish Guy In Action ~ Hair For Hospice
As Suanie Sees It ~ Hair Today Gone Tomorrow
Teh O Ais Limau ~ Hair For Hospice
Hey Adriene! ~ Donate Generously To hair For Hospice
Mental Jog ~ A New Peter At End Of November
Never Been Slim ~ Short Change For Charity
YvonneFoong.com ~ Carnival Of Compassions
Project Petaling Street Blog ~ Hair For Hospice
A Spicy Life ~ Hair-y Tales…
Thousand Words : Snapshots Of Life ~ By The Bedside
jee mee ~ Happy Birthday Dad And Go Away Pontianak
Angels Fly, Devils Rejoice ~ A Hairy Letter
My Magnificent Life Not ~ How Do You Thank?
Just So You Know… ~ A Penny For Your Hair?
Les Perceptions Perpétuellement Permutantes ~ Plug for PPS: Hair for Hospice Charity Drive
Profound Sentiments of the Demented Soul ~ Hair-less Quest
Profound Sentiments of the Demented Soul ~ Hair-For-Hospice: I’d Like A Shave Now Please
blog.kuchingfest.com ~ Hair For Money!!!
fading_sanity ~ Mother, Kena Pimped Pulak…
Eye On Everything ~ How to Force Yourself to Cut Your Hair: An Expert Guide
Stanch.net ~ Hair For Hospice
Push-Button Publishing ~ Hair For Hospice
Life Through Little Eyes ~ Please! Rid Me Of My Sins
Limitations & Latitudes ~ The One About Catching Up…
Lainie :Artword Addict ~ Assignment / Peter’s Hair For Hospice Thing
LiewCF.com ~ Hair For Hospice
Reality Really Bites ~ Hair For Hospice
Pastel ~ Hair For Hospice, and…
The PPS Review ~ PPS Review Episode 10
Avril Chan ~ The Restoration Of Faith In Humankind
dSaint’s Education ~ Good Deed
A Pathetic Attempt At Blogging ~ Rockwills or Webwill?
Little Girl In A Reverie ~ I Can’t Be All About Myself
Oey! ~ I’m Shaving My Head
Sweet Days R Good 4 The Diabetics As Well ~ No Hair!
Have A Nice, Steamy Of ShutTheF*ckup ~ Bye Bye Weekend
DustyHawk :: Broken Mirror ~ 30 Seconds To Change The World
AegisRyan’s Island ~ Hair For Hospice! Your Little Help Means A Lot To Other
Profound Sentiments Of A Demented Soul ~ Another Reason To Go Bald
Loc Kee Trading ~ Let Go
Somewhere Between Nowhere And Goodbye
The Sanctuary
Jeremy C
Ah Ok Lah
Nine3Nine4
The Trash Can
The Chronicles Of A dreamer’s Life

Author: Peter Tan

Peter Gabriel Tan. Penangite residing in the Klang Valley. Blissfully married to Wuan. A LaSallian through and through. Slave to three cats. Wheelchair user since 1984. End-stage renal disease since 2017. Principal Facilitator at Peter Tan Training specialising in Disability Equality Training. Former columnist of Breaking Barriers with The Borneo Post. This blog chronicles my life, thoughts and opinions. Connect with me on Twitter and Facebook.

90 thoughts on “Hair For Hospice”

  1. I should be free between 7th and 24th Nov

    drop me email.. ah wait i find your email add la… should be somewhere here..

  2. Hi Peter! Sorry am so slow to get going on supporting your campaign. Have put your button up on my blog Limitations & Latitudes and assure you that I will mobilise our old school mates to put in a penny or two. Its a cause very much worth fighting for and I’m proud to see you spearheading the challenge!

  3. Reta,
    Okie.

    Eugene,
    Thanks for the plug and thank you for mobilising our school pals to donate to this worthy cause. Labor Omnia Vincit.

    emily,
    I cannot teach an old dog new tricks.

    Rick,
    😀
    matakecik,
    Blogbuster go go go!!!

  4. Hi Peter..Ive put the button up on my site, just below my header, where everyone can see it. I admire you, and thanks for everything, you restored the faith in a lot of us..=)

  5. good day! i’m happy that i could even offer a little help by coming accross this meaningful thing while blogging and surfing as usual. i will online transfer my donate to the bank account provided within days. and i’ve also put up the campaign banner in my weblog’s sidebar. i sincerely wish this campaign will turn out success and great. thanks uncle peter, for the alert and endless effort. god speed! and god bless!

  6. Fashionasia: Locks of Love is a program that allows people to donate actual HAIR to make wigs for cancer patients (well, I guess they take donations of money too). I gave them 11 inches and got a free haircut =) Wonder if they’ve got a M’sian branch…

  7. Damnit… I saw this post and then I realised that I didn’t have enough. Will pledge. Wonder what will happen if I showed up for work bald? :p

  8. Dear Peter,

    I’m glad you have reverted to easier posting, instead of the other system which was intimidating, even though allowing some form of screening without making it a hassle for people to post would be wise.

    On another note, while I admire your sacrifice of your hair for charity, I feel you could have done it another way — IE. get people to pledge an amount for every centimetre of your hair measured from scalp to tip at the longest point.

    Imagine how much you could collect if people pledged RM10 per centimetre or RM25 per inch?

    Start an Grow Your Hair Long for Chairity drive.

    Anyway!

    Cheers and God Bless!

    Charles

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