Esti Reichman, 35, is married and the mother of five. Born into a family of hair stylists, she makes wigs for women combating cancer and accompanies them throughout the process.
What was it like growing up in a family with a hair salon that has been operating for 40 years?
I grew up in my mother's hair salon, which she inherited from her mother. It was clear to me that I would not be a hairdresser or deal with hair. I had a dream of doing something related to the soul, to people - to do work that had meaning.
At the age of 19, I got married. I needed to earn a living, so studies were not an option. Despite the promise I had made to myself, I went to work in a hair salon and opened a wig department. I learned the profession and started making wigs for religious women. After a few years, we received a call from the Ezer Mitzion organization, which knew of our work and the special atmosphere in our salon. They asked us to set up a medical wig department in the salon on a voluntary basis.
We agreed to do it, without knowing what we were getting into or what it would require of us. They sent us a sweet 19-year-old girl named Chavi, who had cancer and couldn't find a good wig made of natural hair at an affordable price.
How was it to set up a medical wig department?
The transition from making wigs for religious women to making wigs for women with cancer was challenging. The wig should look like natural hair, not like a beautiful wig. Only someone who understands and specializes in the field can do it well.
After we made a wig for Chavi, who later worked for us and made wigs for girls like her, the floodgates opened. Women heard that we made customized, high-quality medical wigs at a reduced price, and the requests poured in. Today, 11 years later, we provide a service to 30 women a month, some of whom are hospitalized or are at home and cannot come to salon.
What is the procedure from the moment a woman contacts you?
It starts with a phone call, to which we dedicate a lot of time. It's not about giving technical details, it's about understanding the process and the need. The women are concerned about the side effects of their cancer treatments, the medications, the schedule, and the routine of life that is forced upon them. They worry about how they will look. We understand their concerns and tell them that right now is the most important thing in the world, more than any medicine. Only when the client understands that there is a solution, will she be able to continue living as a human being and not be worried about how she looks when she goes out in public. We give women the schedule of when and how the hair will fall out and what their options are.
For example, we can make a wig that looks exactly like the woman’s own hair. Wigs today are made from natural hair in a natural process. You don't see the connections between the scalp and the wig. The wig looks exactly like the woman’s hair in terms of hairstyle and color. Another option is to make a wig that is different from the woman’s hair in regard to color or hairstyle, thus fulfilling her dream of being blonde or having a different haircut. Some women just love it because for a while, they can have the hairdo they always dreamed of.
But the best option is a wig made from the client's own hair. Instead of going through the difficult and painful process of shedding, we cut her hair from the bottom up and create a wig from her hair. We have a team of talented seamstresses, and that same day the client goes out with her own hair as a wig. This is the best option, but it requires courage. We see many women who do this process and choose to take control of the situation, not to part with their hair but to create a wig from it.
What exciting moments have you experienced while accompanying women through the process?
The wig needs to be maintained, so the women come to the salon throughout their entire cancer treatment process, to do an overlap on the wig or some minor repairs. Every time a client comes in, she meets other women like her, and a friendship club of women from all sectors is created. We provide a solution for ultra-Orthodox, secular, and Arab women.
It's amazing to see how a woman who comes to her first appointment with trepidation meets a recovering woman who has come for her last appointment. The connection between them is very moving and gives them hope and strength. At the first appointment, the women already talk about the end of the process.
When a woman leaves our salon and says that the thing she was most afraid of has become the best experience of the entire period, I know that we succeeded. I learned how much strength a person can have. Our hope and spirit and faith strengthen us more than anything else. It's exciting to see women who are initially afraid, leave strengthened with a smile when they complete their cancer treatment and defeat the disease. It's a joy and a privilege. The walls of our salon are filled with proverbs and empowering statements that the women write. The strength that comes from the women during their illness is tremendous.
What happens at the end of the cancer treatments?
When a woman recovers and completes her treatments, her hair begins to grow an inch a month. During that time, she still has to wear a wig. We provide an interim solution with hair braiding. We take the hair from the wig and put it on the woman’s head as extensions. This is the most exciting closing of the circle. A woman who came to the first appointment full of trepidation becomes a woman who braids her hair.
Where do your resources come from?
Two years ago, we founded an organization to recruit partners so that we can provide everyone with a perfect product and offer support throughout the entire process.
Searot BeSearot Association
Our branches:
Imrei Chaim 14 Bnei Brak
Hagalil 8 Haifa
0548446440
This article was written in cooperation with Esti Reichman