Bold move – 180 go bald for charity

Brave lass: Anchali smiling as her hair gets shaved off.

GEORGE TOWN: N. Anchali’s long, curly and voluminous hair is her identity but she’s more than willing to part with it for a good cause.

“I had mixed emotions when my long hair was shaved.

“I was sad and yet happy because I was doing this for a good cause,” the 22-year-old teacher said when met during the “Go Bald, Go The Distance – Charity Head-shaving & Food Carnival 2017” event at the Penang Adventist Hospital yesterday.

Anchali was among 180 participants who went bald at the event, in aid of the hospital’s Dr J. Earl Gardner Fund for needy patients of chronic ailments.

Octogenarian Lee Ean Teng caught the eye of the crowd when he stepped onto the stage enthusiastically to “go bald”.

Ean Teng, 87, is the son of the late Lee Chin Hin who had worked under Dr Gardner.

In 1924, Dr Gardner and his wife Dr Ethel-Swing Gardner arrived in Penang and opened a clinic known as Mission Clinic in Muntri Street.

All for a good cause: Participants posing for the camera during the ‘Go Bald, Go The Distance – Charity Head-shaving & Food Carnival 2017’ event at the Penang Adventist Hospital.

 

It was the first Seventh-day Adventist clinic in Malaya.

“I am glad that I am giving something back to the community,” Ean Teng said.

“Five generations of my family have been supporting the Penang Adventist Hospital.”

Another participant was 22­-­­month-old Ewe Ea Yong.

His father, engineer Ewe Kok Howg, 40, said he brought Ea Yong and his two other sons, Ewe Ea Xan, six, and Ewe Ea Zen, nine, to participate in the event.

“This is the second time we are joining this meaningful event. The first was in 2012,” he added.

Engineer Yangson Tan, 28, his wife, Penang Adventist Hospital nurse Wei Jun Li, 25, and his mother-in-law Yip Kim Foong, 53, also shed their locks.

“This is our first time going bald together. It feels okay because my hair will grow back,” he said.

State Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh and Pulau Tikus assemblyman Yap Soo Huey also joined in the head-shaving event.

The event also saw a live performance by Dasha Logan, daughter of legendary Loganathan from the chart-topping Alleycats, as well as Starz Band, and a lucky draw.

Penang Adventist Hospital chief executive officer Ronald Koh said “Go Bald, Go The Distance” stood out as there were involvement and support from people of all walks of life outside Penang.

“This is our third edition. Each Go Bald event has a different aim. We set a target of RM1mil for this event,” he said.