Special wigs 'give me confidence after cancer bullying'

Sarah (L) and Meadow (R) are raising money for interlace wigs

A mother has described how her teenage daughter has faced "horrific bullying" and stopped going to school since being diagnosed with cancer.

Sarah is raising money for specialist wigs which she said gives 14-year-old Meadow confidence during her treatment for leukaemia.

Meadow, from Frenchay, South Gloucestershire, was diagnosed in November 2023 and has lost clumps of her hair.

"I remember saying to my mum so many times in the hospital, 'what have I done in my past life to deserve anything like this?'," she said.

"The day [Meadow] lost her hair was a really devastating day for us all," Sarah said.

"When huge clumps of hair was coming out in her hairbrush, you knew then that she had cancer and it was serious."

'Devastating'

She said Meadow faced bullying since her diagnosis and no longer goes to school full time.

"I don’t think any person should go through this," Meadow said. "Losing my hair was like losing a part of me."

The 14-year-old has tried different wigs to help boost her confidence but said many have slipped, been ill-fitting or poor quality.

After months of trialling different wigs, the mother and daughter found the "perfect solution" in interlace wigs.

They are made of different sections sewn and attached to the scalp, over the remaining hair.

'More confident'

Meadow said her interlace wig is "way better" and she can wash it, sleep with it and not have to worry about it.

"No one's even questioned if it's my hair or not. I feel a lot more confident with it on," she added.

However, the cost is hard for Sarah to maintain, which is why the family are aiming to raise £2,600 to help cover the costs.

Interlace wigs cost £2,000 and require adjustments every six weeks, which cost more than £100 an hour for fitting, and need replacing during her treatment.